)> 




joHK bu:^ya:^» 




t 

THE 

PILGRIM S PROGRESS 

FROM THIS WORLD 
TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME. 

DELIVE-RED 

UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM, 

JJV TWO PARTS. 

.«. . — —v^^^^- 

BY JOHN BUN YAN. 

'fe>Si%^^- — 

i HAVE USED SIMIL1TUDES....H03E A xii. 10. 
• — ->->®-<< — 

A NEW EDITION5 DiyiDED INTO CHAPTERS. 

WITH THE 

LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL NOTES. 

EMBELLISHED WITH ELEGANT ENGRAVINGS, 

jKTjy-rojRJC: {^. 

PUBLISHED BY JOHN TIEBGUT^ 

238 WATER-STREET. 

Paul e? Thomasf Printers. 

1811. 



I 






PREFACE. 



->♦-<■ 



The high estimation in which the " Pilgrim's 
Progress has been held for above a century, suffi- 
ciently evinces its intrinsic value ; and there is every 
reason to suppose, that it will be read with admiration 
for ages to come ; probably till the consummation of 
all things. 

The pious Christian, in proportion to his '^ gi'owth 
in grace, and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus," de- 
rives more and more instruction from repeated peru- 
sals of this remarkable book; while his enlarged expe- 
rience and extended observation enable him to unfold, 
with progressive evidence, the full meaning of the very 
agreeable similitudes employed by its truly ingenious 
author. And even the careless or uninstructed reader 
is fascinated to attention, by the simple and artless 
manner in which the intereslinj^: narrative is arrano-cd. 
Nor should this be represented as a mere amusement, 
which answers no further purpose : for it has been ob- 
served by men of great discernment, and acquaintance 
with the human mind, that young persons, having pe- 



IV PREFACE. 

rused the Pilgrim as a pleasing tale, have generally 
retained a remembrance of its leading incidents, which, 
after continuing perhaps in a dormant state for several 
years, has at length germinated, as it were, into the 
most important and seasonable instruction, while the 
events of their own lives placed it before their minds 
in a new and affecting point of view. It may, there- 
fore, be questioned, whether modern ages have produ- 
ced any work which has more promoted the best inter- 
ests of mankind. 

It would not perhaps be difficult to show, that the 
Pilgrim's Progress, as first published, is as really 
an original production of vigorous native genius, as 
any of those works, in prose or verse, which have ex- 
cited the admiration of mankind through successive 
ages, and in different nations. It does not indeed pos- 
sess those ornaments which are so often mistaken for 
intrinsic excellence : but the rudeness of its style 
(which however is characteristic of the subject) con- 
curs to prove it a most extraordinary book ; — for had 
it not been written with very great ingenuity, a reli- 
gious treatise, evidently inculcating doctrines yet dis- 
esteemed by the unenlightened mind, it would not, in 
so homely a garb, have so durably attracted the atten- 
tion of a polished age. Yet, it is undeniable that Bun- 
yan's Pilgrim continues to be read and admired bv 
vast multitudes ; while publications on a similar plan, 
by persons of respectable learning and talents, are con- 
signed to almost total neglect and oblivion ! 

This is not, however, that view of the work which 
entitles it to highest honour, or most endears it to the 
pious mind : for, comparing it with the other produce 



PREFACE. 



tions of the same author, (which are indeed edifying to 
the humble believer, but not so much suited to the 
taste of the ingenious) we shall be led to conclude, that 
in perusing this he was highly favoured with a peculiar 
measure of the divine assistance ; especially when we 
recollect, that, within the confines of a gaol, he was 
able so to delineate ihe Christian's course, with its vari- 
ous difficulties, perils, conflicts, &c. that scaixely any- 
thing seems to have escaped his notice. Indeed, the 
accurate observer of the church in his own days, and 
the learned student of ecclesiastical history, must be 
equally surprised to find, that hardly one remarkable 
character, good or bad, or mixed in any manner or 
proportion imaginable ; or that one fatal delusion, by- 
path, or injurious mistake, can be singled out, which 
may not be paralleled in the Pilgrim's Progress: 
that is, as to the grand outlines ; for the minutice^ 
about which too many narrow minds waste their zeal, 
are with very few exceptions wisely passed over. This 
circumstance is surprising ; that every part of this sin- 
gular book suits the various descriptions of such as 
profess godliness; and relates the experiences, tempta- 
tions, conflicts, supports, and consolations of Christians 
in our own times, as exactly as if it had been penned 
from the observation of them, and for their immediate 
benefit : while, like the sacred Scriptures, it remains 
a sealed book to all who are strangers to the power of 
godliness, and that peace xvhich passeth understanding. 
These remarks may be very properly concluded 
with the words of a justly admired poet of the pre- 
sent day, who in the following lines has fully sanc- 
tioned all that has been here advanced — 



■^i PREFACE. 

'^ O thou, whom, borne on fancy's eager wing 
Back to the season of life's happy spring, 
I pleas'd remember, and while mem'ry yet 
Holds fast her office here, can ne'er forgetr 
Ingenious dreamer, in whose well-told tale 
Sweet fiction and sweet truth alike prevail, 
Whose hum'rous vein, strong sense, and simple style^ 
May teach the gayest, make the gravest smile, 
Witty, and well employ'd, and like thy Lord, 
Speaking in parables his slighted word. 
I name thee not, lest so despis'd a name 
Should move a sneer at thy deserved fame ; 
Yet ev'n in transitory life's late day 
That mingles all my brown with sober gray. 
Revere the man, whose Pilgrim marks the road, 
And guides the Progress of the soul to God. 
'Twere well with most, if books that could engage 
Their childhood, pleas'd them at a riper age ; 
The man approving what had charm'd the boy. 
Would die at last, in comfort, peace, and joy. 
And not with curses on his art who stole 
The gem of truth from his unguarded soul.' 

COWPER, TIROCINIUM, V. 129. 

In respect to the present edition of the Pilgrim's 
Progress, it may be proper to observe, that the Notes, 
explanatory and practical, are selected from those publi- 
cations, known to have been edited by the celebrated re- 
verend Messrs. Mason, Scott, and Burder : to the inge- 
nuity of the latter is the present work indebted for that 
excellent plan, the division by chapters » — Great pains 
have been taken to examine every scriptural reference, 
in order to render this edition as correct as possible. — 
The author's marginal references seemed so essential a 






PREFACE. Vll 

part of the work, that it was deemed indispensably re- 
quisite to insert them in their places. But as the other 
marginal notes are only useful in pointing out any pas- 
sage in the text, to which the reader might wish to re- 
fer; it was thought most adviseable to supply their 
place by a running title on the top of every page, con- 
veying as nearly as possible the same ideas: for, indeed, 
they so encumber the page, and break in upon the 
uniformity of printing, that all hopes of elegance must 
be precluded while they are retained. 

To render the Pilgrim's Progress of still greater 
use, this edition is presented to the public in a form 
entirely new. The work is divided into distinct sec- 
tions, of convenient length; the design of which is to 
oblige the reader to make a frequent pause : for so en- 
tertaining is the narrative, that the heart becomes in- 
terested in the event of every transaction, and is tempt- 
ed to proceed with a precipitation that excludes proper 
reflections : so that it may be justly feared, that thou- 
sands have read it with no other advantage than tem- 
porary amusement, without the least conception of its 
spiritual design. 

Several ministers have thought it a pleasing and pro- 
fitable exercise, to read and explain the Pilgrim to 
their people in private meetings. Should any into 
whose hands this edition may come, think proper to 
pursue such a method, they will find some assistance 
from the division of chapters made ready to their hand, 
as well as by some hints which possibly might not 
have occurred to them. 

It is also submitted to the consideration of heads of 
femilies, whether the PilgriMj in this form, may not 



Viil PREFACE, 



be well adapted for the purpose of reading to their 
children and servants on Lord's-day evenings. The 
subject matter is so entertaining, that the attention of 
all would be secured ; and the practical improvements 
might tend, by the blessing of God, to enlighten their 
minds in the grand truths of the gospel of Cluist. 



THE 



tIFE OF 30JIN BUNYAN. 



The whole compass of biography exhibits not a 
character more interesting, than that of a man convert- 
ed from singular depravity of manners, to eminent pie* 
ty ; and raised from the deepest obscurity, to be an au- 
thor celebrated for genius, and uncommonly useful to 
mankind. Such was the excellent writer of the Pil- 
grim's Progress. 

John Bunyan was born at Elstow, within a mile of 
Bedford, in the year 1628. His descent was, as him- 
self expresses it, of a "low and inconsiderable genera- 
tion," his father being an itinerant tinker, and his mo- 
ther of the like rank . They gave him the best education 
in their power^ which was common reading and writings 
of which he afterwards made a very excellent use ; but 
for the present he gave himself up to the most execrable 
vices, particularly '' cursing, swearing, lying, and blas- 
pheming the holy name of God." 

During this period he was not without considerable 
checks of conscience. At but nine or ten years of age, 
in the midst of his sports and childish vanities, he was 
often distressed, both by day and night. For even in 
his sleep he was terrified with " apprehensions of devils 
and wicked spirits," and "of the fearful torments of 



iO THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

liell-fire," insomuch that he sometimes wished himself 
to be a devil to torment others, that thereby (as he ig- 
norantly hoped) he might escape being tormented by 
them. 

These terrors were but partial and temporary re- 
straints upon his conduct, and by no means cured 
him of his deHght in sin, or of his aversion to true 
religion. He mentions it, however, as a remarkable 
circumstance in his experience, that though he de- 
lighted in his own sins and those of his wicked com- 
panions, " it made his heart ache" to heai' profane 
language from people reputedly religious, and to see 
the wicked actions of persons professing godliness. 

The early part of Mr. Bunyan's life was also at- 
tended with some hair-breadth escapes from danger- 
ous accidents. At one time he fell into the river 
Ouse ; at another into a creek of the sea; in a tliird 
instance he escaped the bite of an adder, and (after 
wounding it) drew out its sting with his fingers ; but 
the most remarkable instance was the following : 
while a soldier in the Parliament army in 1645, he was 
draughted for the siege of Leicester, but another, de- 
siring to change with him, took his place, and was 
shot through the head with a musket-ball, while stand- 
ing sentinel. 

Soon after this he married a young woman poor as 
himself; for they had not, he says, " so much house- 
hold-stuft' as a spoon or dish between them." But 
she had been blessed with a religious education, and 
brought for her marriage-portion two small devotional 
tracts, *' The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven," and 
" The Practice of Piety." These books Bunyan re- 
peatedly read ; and though they were not the means of 
his conversion, they had such an effect on him, that he 
was willing to ** do many things," and give up some 
of his outward vices. 

At this period he received a considerable check of 
conscience under one of the sermons he heard at 
diurch oa sabbath- breaking, to which he was much ad- 



THE I.IFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 11 

dieted ; but this conviction he shook out of his mind, 
and the same afternoon returned to his usual Sunday 
sports, when the following incident happened, which 
shall be related in his own words : 

" The same day, as I was in the midst of a game of 
cat^ and having struck it one blow from the hole, just 
as I was about to strike a second time, a voice did sud- 
denly dait from heaven into my soul, vvhich said, ' Wilt 
thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have thy sins 
and go to hell?' At this I was put to an exceeding 
amaze ; wherefore, leaving my cat upon the ground, 
I looked up to heaven, and was as if I had, with the eyes 
of my under standings seen the Lord Jesus looking down 
upon me, as being veiy hotly displeased with me, and 
as if he did severely threaten me with some grievous 
punishment for these and other ungodly practices. 

*' I had no sooner thus conceived in my mind, but 
suddenly this conclusion was fastened on my spirit, that 
I had been a great and grievous sinner, and that it was 
now too late for m.e to look after heaven. Then I felt 
my heart sink in despair, and therefore I resolved to go 
on in sin : For, thought I, if the case be thus, my state 
is surely miserable : miserable if 1 leave my sins, and 
but miserable if I follow them. I can but be damned ; 
and if I must be so, I had as good be damned for ma- 
ny as for few. 

" Thus I stood in the midst of my play before all 
that then were present : yet I told them nothing ; but, 
having made this conclusion, I returned desperately to 
my sport again : and I well remember, that presently 
this kind of despair did so possess my soul, that I was 
persuaded I could never attain to other comfort than 
what I should get in sin : wherefore I found within me 
great desire to take my fill of sin, still studying what 
sin was yet to be committed, th.at I might taste the 
sweetness of it, lest I should die before I had my de- 
sires. In these things I protest before God, I lie not ; 
these were really, strong^, aijd with all my heait my 



12 THE UFE 01« JOHN BUNYAN, 

desires : the good Lord, whose mercy is unsearchable, 
forgive me my transgressions !" 

Thus Bunyan went on sinning greedily for about a 
month or more, till one day, as he w^as standing at a 
neighbour's shop-window, and ''there cur sing and swear- 
ing, and playing the madman" (as he expresses it) after 
his usual manner, the woman of the house, though a 
loose and irreligious person, reproved him very severe- 
ly, protesting he was " the ungodliest fellow for swear- 
ing" she had ever heard, and enough to spoil all the 
youth in the whole town. 

This reproof, coming from such a woman, silenced 
and shamed liim ; nay more, it even cured liim of that 
detestable vice ; and his remark on this circumstance 
is well worthy the attention of profane and customary 
swearers:-^" " How it came to pass (says he,) I know 
not, I did from this time forward so leave my swearing, 
that it was a great wonder to myself to observe it ; and 
whereas before I knew not how to speak unless I put an 
oath before and another behind, to make my w^ords 
have authority, now I could, without it, speak better 
and with more pleasantness than I could before." 

Soon after this he fell into company with a poor, reli- 
gious ftian, that spake pleasantly of religion and of the 
scriptures ; which so delighted Bunyan, that he betook 
himself to his Bible, and found great pleasure in read- 
ing the historical and more entertaining parts of it. 
This carried his reformation one step farther. He be- 
came now conscientiously moral ; his acquaintance 
reckoned him very godly and religious; and himself 
thought that he "pleased God as well as any man in 
England," 

f Similar to this, was a remarkable circumstance in the life of Mr. Per- 
kins, an able minister of the gospel. While a young man, and a scholar at 
Cambridge, he was devoted to drunkenness. As he was walking' in the 
skirts of the town, he heard a woman say to a child that was froward and 
peevish, " Hold your tongue, or I will give you to drunken Perkins yon- 
der." Finding himself become a by-word among the people, liis conscience 
was deeply impressed, and it was the lirst step towards his conversion. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 15 

Bunyan's two favourite amusements were ringing 
and dancing; these now^ appeared inconsistent with tJie 
character he had assumed, and therefore must be rehn- 
quished, though rehictantly and by degrees : they were 
like the extinction of a right eye, or the excision of a 
right hand. 

All this time, how^ever, he was building upon a 
wrong foundation : being " ignorant of God's right- 
eousness," he went about to establish his own ; and 
had no suspicion that he was in an error, till one day 
he overheard three or four poor women in Bedford dis> 
coursing on religious subjects. He was much sur- 
prised to hear them talk of conviction, the new birth, 
the sweetness of the promises, and the power of temp- 
tation, of the depravity of their own hearts, and of their 
imbelief ; and to hear them bitterly contemn '' their 
own righteousness as filthy, and insufficient to do them 
any good." *' They also spake (as he expresses it) 
with such pleasantness of scripture language, and with 
such appearance of grace in all they said, that they 
were to him as if they had found a new world ; as if 
they were ' people that dwelt alone, and not reckoned 
among the nations.' "(a) 

These topics w^ere not only new to him, but in a 
great measure unintelligible ; and he was led first to 
iiuspect, and afterwards to condemn himself, as a vain 
babbler and a hypocrite ; as wanting the *' true tokens 
of a godly man," and as a stranger to those pleasures 
which he found these good people had experienced. 
This conviction induced him to seek repeated oppor- 
tunities of their company, and the more he enjoyed of 
their conversation, the more earnestly he desired it. 
The various branches of christian experience, and the 
important truths of scripture, now engaged his whole 
attention, and he found it as difficult then to bring his 



{a) Num. xxjii. 9 



14 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

mind from heaven to earth, as, at some other times^ to 
H^levate his mind from earth to heaven. 

Before his conversion, Bun van had formed a strong 
attachment to a young man of very loose morals, whose 
acquaintance he now found it necessary to drop ; but 
meeting with him a few months afterwards, and asking 
him how he did, the other replied in his usually wild 
and profane language, *' But, Harry^ (said Bunyan,) 
why do you swear and curse thus?" The other replied 
in a great rage — '^ What would the devil do for com- 
pany, if it were not for such as I am ?" 

About this time Mr. Bunyan met with some books 
written by the ranters of that age, who were a set of 
practical, as well as theoretical, antinomians. Their 
leading maxims seem to have been, (when fairly ex- 
pressed,) those diabolical ones mentioned by St. Paul 
— " Let us do evil, that good may come : — let us sin, 
that grace may abound." 

About this time he began to read the scripture 
** with new eyes," and as he had never done before ; 
especially St. Paul's epistles, which were now very de- 
lightful, though formerly they had much oifended and 
disgusted him. In short, the Bible became his con- 
stant companion, and he was (as he says) " never out 
of it, either by reading or meditation;" constantly 
crying to God, that he might know the truth, and fol- 
low it. 

A fresh difficulty however occun-ed. Reading in 
the New Testament, of the various extraordinary 
gifts of the Spirit, wisdom, knowledge, faith, &c. he 
was particularly stumbled at the latter ; and, misun- 
derstanding some of our Lord's words on that sub- 
ject, (a) he VAas tempted to try to work a miracle to 
prove his faith. One day, in particular, walking be- 
tween Elstov/ and Bedford, it was strongly suggested 



(c) Matt. xvii. 20. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 1^ 

to him to bid the puddle " be dry," and to say to 
the dry places, ''Be you puddles." But just as he 
was about to speak, the thought came into his mind, 
to go under the hedge to pray that God would enable 
him. On the other hand it occured to him, that if he 
tried and could not effect it, it would discourage and 
sink him into deep despair. For this reason he pru- 
dently declined it. 

While his mind was thus agitated between hope and 
fear, he had what he calls " a kind of vision," respect- 
ing the good people of Bedford, which is thus related 
in his own words : "I saw, as if they were on the sun- 
ny side of some high mountain, there refreshing them- 
selves with the pleasant beams of the sun, while I was 
shivering and shrinking in the cold, afflicted with frosty 
snow, and dark clouds : methought also, betwixt me 
and them I saw a wall that did compass about this 
mountain ; now through this wall my soul did greatly 
desire to pass, concluding that, if I could, I would even 
go in the very midst of them, and there also comfort ni}"- 
self with the heat of their sun. 

' About this wall I thought myself to go again and 
again, still prying as I went, to see if I could fine]. 
some way or passage, by which I might enter there- 
in. But none could I find for some time. At the last 
I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like a little door- way 
in the wall, through which 1 attempted to pass ; now' 
the passage being very strait and narrow, I made many 
offers to get in, but all in vain. At last, with great 
striving, methought I at first did get in my head, and 
after that by a sideling striving my shoulders, and after 
that my ^vhole body. Then was I exceeding glad, went 
and sat down in the midst of them, and so was comfort- 
ed with the light and heat of their sun. 

" Now this mountain and wall, &c. was made 
thus out to me : the mountain signified the church 
of the living God ; the sun that shone thereon, the 
comfortable shining of his merciful face on them 



16 



TIIi: LUB OF JOHN BUNYAK. 



that were therein; the wall I thought was the world, 
that did make separation between the Christians and 
the world ; and the gap which was in the wall I thought 
was Jesus Christ, who is the way to God the Father, [a) 
But forasmuch as the passage was wonderful narrow, 
even so narrow that I could not, but widi great diffi- 
culty, enter thereat, it showed me none could enter 
into life, but those that were in downright earnest," 

This vision, whatever it was, abode much upon his 
mind, gave him an ardent desire to enjoy the sunshine 
of the divine presence, and excited him to cry mightily 
to God for it. 

A variety of temptations succeeded these ; but with 
every temptation the Lord made a w^ay for his escape. 
At length he began to break his mind to the good peo^ 
pie of Bedford, and they introduced him to their minis- 
ter, Mr. Gilford, who invited him to mingle with those 
serious persons that frequented his house ; and to listen 
to the experience of others, in order to enlarge his own. 

He now acquired a deeper acquaintance with the 
human heart, its inward corruptions and unbelief; 
evils which he felt so strongly working in himself, 
that he thought it impossible he should be already 
converted, and had little hopes that he ever should. 
His spiritual conflicts, therefore, increased rather than 
diminished, insomuch that he compares himself to the 
possessed child, brought by his pai^ent to Jesus Christ, 
who, while he was yet coming to him, was thrown 
down by the devil, and cruelly torn by him. (b) 

Bunyan observes here, as a sign that his convic- 
tions were of the right sort, that they made him very 
conscientious ; so much so, as to tremble at the verge 
of duty, and shudder at the approach of sin. He 
now became (as is often the case with converts) so 
scrupulous, that he who once never spake without 



(a) John xiv. 6. Matt. vii. 14r. 



(^) Luke ix. 42. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 17 

ail oath, was afraid to speak at all, lest he should speak 
idly, or misplace his words. 

He was not, however, so entirely taken up with 
his own feelings, as totally to neglect observation upon 
those around him. The following remarks, as they 
cannot easily be better expressed, shall be given in his 
own words : 

" While I was thus afflicted with the fears of my 
own damnation, there were two things would make me 
wonder : the one was, when I saw old people hunting 
after the things of this life, as if they should live here 
always : the other was, when I found professors much 
distressed and cast down, when they met with outward 
losses : as of husband, wife, child, &:c. Lord, thought 
I, what ado is here about such little things as these ? 
What seeking after carnal things by some, and what 
grief in others for the loss of them ! If they so much 
labour after, and shed so many tears for, the things of 
this present life, how am I to be bemoaned, pitied, and 
prayed for ! My soul is dying, my so^jI is damning. 
Were my soul but in a good condition, and were I but 
sure of it, ah ! how rich would I esteem myself though 
blessed with bread and water ! I should count those 
but small afflictions, and should bear them as little 
burdens. ^ A wounded spirit who can bear?' " 

Painful as he felt his convictions, yet was he at times 
fearful of their dying away, or being removed by im« 
proper means ; because he had observed persons in 
similar distress, who, when their troubles wore away, 
or were improperly removed, became more carnal, and 
more hardened in wickedness, than before. That 
scripture lay much upon his mind, ^' Without shed- 
ding of blood there is no remission ;"(«) and he was 
led to cry earnestly to the Lord, that he might be de- 
livered from " an evil conscience," only by the sprink- 
ling of atoning blood. 



(a) Heb. ix. 22. 

3 



i& THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

At length the time of his deliverance approached, 
and he received his first consolation th; ough a sermon 
on those words of Solomon, ** Behold, thou art fair, 
my love. "(c) This reached Bunyan's case, afforded 
him *^ strong consolation," and gave him a happy in- 
terval of joy and triumph in the' Lord : but his tri- 
umph was of short duration : the enemy returned to 
the charge with double force, reattacked him with in- 
creased malice, and he was now tempted to question 
the first principle and ground-work of all religion, the 
very being of a God, Or, admitting this, said the spi- 
rit of infidelity, *' How can you tell but the Turks 
have as good scriptures to prove their Mahomet to be 
the Saviour, as we have to prove our Jesus ? Every 
one thinks his own religion right, Jews, Moors, and 
Pagans ! and what if all our faith, and Christ, and 
scriptures, should be no more !" 

These sceptical suggestions w^ere accompanied with 
strong temptations to immorality and profaneness..,. 
even to curse God, and to blaspheme his Son. For 
infidelity and profaneness are of near neighbourhood, 
and the arch-enemy of mankind knows how to accele- 
rate the course of sinners from one unto the other. 

Sometimes he attempted to reason wdth his tempta- 
tions, but under great disadvantages, for want of his 
being acquainted with the external evidences of Chris- 
tianity, The principal check his doubts received was 
from an internal principle, which rejected and disrelish- 
ed them. At length it pleased God, however, to per- 
niit him for a time to sink again into despondency ; and, 
at intervals, he feared that his senses would have left 
him ; at other times he thought himself possessed by 
the deviL 

But the sorest trial of this period of his life, was 
a temptation to commit the unpardonable sjn against 
the Holy Ghost ; this he was prompted even to covet 
the opportunity of committing, though the new prin- 



Ca)Cant. ir. 1. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 19 

Ciple within him so revolted at the suggestion, that he 
forcibly closed his mouth with his hands, lest the fatal 
blasphemy should escape him. 

This temptation lasted about a year, and v/as at-^ 
tended one while, with peculiai' insensibility, and at 
other times with such distractions in duty as frustrated 
his attempts to pray ; and so much was his mind con- 
vulsed by it, that sometimes he thought he even felt 
one behind him pulling his clothes, to stop him when 
he began to pray. 

It is unnecessary, and might appear tedious, to relate 
all the temptations with which this good m_an was agita- 
ted, during this period ; it is, however, proper to ob- 
serve, that they were not without some allays of com- 
fort ; his cup was bitter, but mixed with some plea- 
sant ingredients ; or, to speak without a figure, he had 
intervals of consolation ; many precious promises were 
applied, and he was at some times as much elevated 
with joy, as he was at others depressed with grief. 

It is also worthy of observation, that during this time 
he enjoyed the advantages of sitting under the ministry 
of good Mr. Gilford, (an ancestor of the late learned Dr* 
Giffbrd,) an evangelical and useful minister at Bed- 
ford ; whose advice appears to have been very judi- 
cious and salutary. *' He would bid us take special 
heed, (says Bunyan,) that we took not up any truth up- 
on trust ; as from this or that man ; but pray to God 
that he would convince us of the reality thereof by his 
Spirit in the word : for (said he,) otherwise, when 
temptations come, not having received them with evi- 
dence from heaven, you \\411 find the want of that help 
and strength to resist, which once you thought you 
had." This advice was very seasonable to Bunyan, 
who betook himself to the scriptures, and to prayer ; 
and there found, as every simple honest inquirer doubt- 
less will, all the satisfaction which he desired. He re- 
marks also, that the sense he had of the evil of sin, was of 
use to keep him steady in the truth, by discovering his 



20 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAK. 

absolute need of a Saviour, and exactly such a Saviour 
as the New Testament reveals. 

About this time he met with Martin Luther up- 
on the Galatians, and was much struck with the simi- 
larity of his experience with that of the good old re- 
former ; and to find him describe so nearly the vari- 
ous temptations and conflicts which he had felt. He 
also received from this book considerable light into 
the gospel scheme of redemption, and esteemed it, 
next to the Bible, the most valuable book he had ever 
met with. 

Now again he began to rejoice and triumph : now 
he began to sing with the Psalmist, *' My mountain 
stands strong; I shall never be removed."(Q!) He found 
however, this was but a short truce in his Avarfare ; 
and that these comforts were only to support and 
strengthen him for future conflicts. 

The next trial which beset him was a truly diabo- 
lical one — '' it was to sell Christ, to exchange him for 
the things of this life, for any thing." And those 
words, " Sell him, sell him," would be impressed upon 
his thoughts an hundred times running, for hours toge- 
ther, and that during a succession of many wrecks. It 
may well be supposed he prayed and strove against this 
temptation ; at last he found nothing so much relieve 
him as answering the enemy in his own way, as fast as 
his temptations were repeated — '' I will not, I will not, 
I will not ; no, not for thousands, thousands, thousands, 
thousands of worlds !" At length, after much striving, 
he felt the thought pass through his heart, as he ex- 
presses it- — " Let him go if he xvill .*" and he imagin- 
ed also that, for the moment, it had his free consent. 
" Now, (says ou ' author) was the battle w^on ; and down 
fell I, as a bird that is shot from the top of a tree, into 
great guiit and fearful despair. " And this continued un- 



(fl) Psal. XXX. 6, 7. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BtJKTAN. 21 

til he was at length relieved with that comfortable 
word, " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from 
all sin."{a) 

During the above period the tempter assaulted him 
ill a manner that some persons have jested with, 
though it was no jest to Bunyan. In short, he tells 
us his enemy would not let him eat his food in quiet : 
but '' forsooth, (says he,) when I was set at my table 
at any meat, I must go hence to pray ; I must leave 
my food now, and just now ; so counterfeit holy 
would this devil be ! When I was thus tempted, I 
would say in myself, ' Now I am at my meat, let 
me make an end.' — ' No, (said he,) you must do 
it now, or you will displease God, and despise Christ.' " 
And when he omitted to obey this temptation, his 
conscience smote him, as if he had refused to leave his 
meat for God. 

We have already mentioned the consolation he re- 
ceived from a sense of the efficacy of atoning blood ; 
on this occasion it seemed to him " as if the tempter 
did leer and steal away from him as ashamed of what 
he had done:" but this modest fit of the devil was 
of short duration ; he soon recollected his usual ef- 
frontery, and returned with a more serious and alarm- 
ing temptation. In short, he now tempted him to be- 
lieve that he had committed that unpardonable sin, 
the sin against the Holy Ghost \{b) and that his case 
was like Esau's, after he had sold his birthright, 
*' when he would have inherited the blessing, he was 
rejected ; for he found no place for repentance, though 
he sought it carefully with tears. "(c) 

These passages have given so much pain and unea- 
siness to others beside Bunyan, that it may not be an 
unprofitable digression, to bestow a short explanation 
on them, in hopes it may be of use to such as may in 
future be attacked with the like temptations. 



(a) 1 John i. 7. {b) IVIark Hi. 29. (c) Hcb, sll. ir. 



V 



22 THE LIFE OP JOHN BUNYAN. 

Divines seem now pretty well agreed, that an en 
lightened understanding and a malicious heart must 
meet in the same person, to constitute a capacity of 
committing the unpardona'ole sin. Thus it has been 
supposed, that if Peter had denied his master with the 
same malice that Paul persecuted him ; or, if Paul had 
persecuted Jesus with the same conviction of his divi- 
nity as Peter hud received when he denied him — either 
w^ould have committed the unpardonable sin. The in- 
stances of this union of knowledge and hatred are so 
few, that we may reasonably hope sinners of this «lass 
are for from numerous : the most awful appearance of 
it seems to be in those malicious Phai'isees, who wil- 
fully shut their eyes against the evidences of Christ's 
mission, and attributed all his miracles to the agency of 
Beelzebub. 

The case of Esau has also been much misunder- 
stood : the place he sought for repentance was not in 
his own, but his father's mind, as appears by the his- 
tory; that is, he sought to revoke his father's blessing. 

The supposition, however, that he had comm.itted 
the unpardonable sin, had such an effect on Bunyan^ 
that it not only distressed his mind, but made his very 
body tremble for many days together ; and produced 
such a stoppage and heat at his stomach, as greatly dis- 
ordered him. Some comfort indeed he received, at 
intervals, from occasional refiections on the promises : 
but the most effectual relief he met with was in the 
following extraordinary manner, which shall be related 
in his o^vn words : 

" Once, as I was walking to and fro in a good 
man's shop, bemoaning myself in my sad and doleful 
state, praying also in my heart, that if this sin of 
mine did differ from that against the Holy Ghost, the 
Lord would shew it me ; and being now ready to sink 
with fear, suddenly there was, as if there had rushed 
in at the window, the noise of -wind upon me; but very 
pleasant, and as if I heard a voice speaking, ' Didst 
•thou ever refuse to be justified by the blood of Christ?' 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 23 

And withal my whole life of profession past, was in a 
moment opened to me ; wherein I was made to see, 
that designedly I had not ; so my heart answered 
groaningly, ' No.' Then fell, with power, that word 
of God upon me, ' See that ye refuse not him that 
speaketh.'(a) This made a strange seizure upon my 
spirit : it brought light with it, and commanded a si- 
lence in my heart. It shewed me, also, that Jesus 
Christ had yet a word of grace and mercy for me ; yea, 
this w^as a kind of threatening of me, if I did not, not- 
withstanding my sins, and the heinousness of them, 
venture my salvation upon the Son of God. But as 
to my determining about this strange dispensation, 
w^hat it was, I know not ; or from whence it came I 
know not : I have not yet, in twenty yeai's time, been 
able to make a judgment of it : I thought then what 
here I should be loth to speak. But verily that sudden 
rushing wind was, as if an angel had come upon me ; 
but both it and the salvation I will leave until the day 
of judgment: only this I say, it. commanded a great 
calm in my soul; it persuaded me there might be hope; 
it shewed me, as I thought, what the sin unpardonable 
was, and that my soul had yet the blessed privilege 
to flee to Jesus Christ for mercy. This lasted in the 
savour of it for about three or four days ; and then 1 
began to mistrust and to despair again." 

In this situation Bunyan found his mind strongly im- 
pelled to private prayer, which, when the tempter per- 
ceived, he endeavoured to persuade him that it was 
?jow too late ; that having denied and rejected Christ, 
it was only adding sin to sin, and farther provocation 
to his crimes. His case was desperate ; but he resolved 
that if he perished it should be ** at the foot of Christ 
in prayer." 

About this time he took an opportunity to break 
his mind to an aged Christian. " I told him, (says he,) 



(fl) Heb. y/ii. 2$. 



24 THE luIFE OV JOHN SUNYAN, 

that I was afraid I had sinned the sin against the 
Holy Ghost. He told nie he thought so too." Here 
therefore he had but cold comfort ; and talking farther 
ivith him, found him, though a good man, a stranger 
to such severe spiritual conflicts. He therefore went to 
God again, and reiterated his creis for mercy ; though 
as yet with little comfort, because the hour of his deli- 
verance was not fully come. 

In this interval he walked to a neighbouring town, 
where sitting to rest himself upon a settle in the street, 
he fell into a deep pause upon his state : after long mu- 
sing he lifted up his head : " But methought, (says he,) 
I saw as if the sun that shineth in the heavens did 
grudge to give light ; and as if the very stones in the 
street, and tiles upon the houses, did bend themselves 
against me : methought that they all combined toge- 
ther to banish me out of the world ; I was abhorred 
of them, and unworthy to dwell among them, or to be 
partaker of their benefits, because I had sinned against 
the Saviour. O how happy now was every creature 
over me ! for they stood fast, and kept their station, 
but I was gone and lost. 

" Then breaking out in the bitterness of my soul, I 
said to m}^ soul, with a grievous sigh, * How can God 
comfort such a wretch as I am ?' I had no sooner 
said it, but this returned upon me, as an echo doth an- 
swer a voice, * This sin is not unto death. '(q;) At 
xvhich I was as if I had been raised out of the grave, 
and cried out again, ' Lord, how couldst thou find out 
such a word as this V For I was filled with admiration at 
the fitness and at the unexpectedness of the sentence : 
the power, and sweetness, and light, and glory, that 
came with it also, was marvellous to me to find. Now, 
thought I, if this sin is not unto death, then it is 
pardonable ; therefore from this I have encourage- 



{a) I John V. 16, 17- 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 23 

ment to come to God by Christ for mercy, as well as 
others." 

The comfort of this word was not, however, of long 
duration, any more than the preceding. Within two 
or three days he began to droop again ; but, again and 
again was revived with the application of some or 
other of the promises of the Gospel. These repeated 
temptations made him more attentive and scrupulous 
in examining the ground of his consolations, lest he 
should deceive himself with a misapplication of the 
promises. Thus his mind continued for weeks, and 
months, and in the whole for years, *^ hanging (so he 
expresses it,) as in a pair of scales ; sometimes up and 
sometimes down ; now in peace, and anon again in ter- 
ror ;" not, however, so extreme as he had felt before ; 
for this was but the hinder part of the tempest : *' the 
thunder (says he) was gone beyond me, only some 
drops did still now and then fall on me ; but because 
my former frights and anguish were sore and deep ; 
therefore it oft befell me still, as it befalleth those that 
have been scared with fire, I thought every voice was 
J^zre / Fire /" 

At length his chains were loosed, his irons knocked 
off, and those alarming scriptures ceased to trouble 
him. As he saw farther into the nature and spirit of 
the Gospel, he felt the ground of his dependance more 
secure, and was in the end made an extraordinary in- 
strument of comforting others with the same consola- 
tions which he had himself received. But, before we 
proceed, I beg to be indulged in a few observations on 
the preceding narrative ; and shall begin with Mr. Bun- 
yan's own reflections. 

1. On the causes of his extraordimu-y temptations. 
These he considers as principally two, which shall be 
related in his own simple phraseology. " The first 
was, that I did not, when I was delivered from the 
temptations that went before, still pray to God to keep 
me from temptations that were to come ; for though, 

4 



26 THE LIFE OF JOHN BtNYAN. 

as I can say in truth, my soul was much in prayer 
before this trial seized me ; yet then I prayed only, 
or principally for the removal of present troubles, and 
for fresh discoveries of his love in Christ : which I 
saw afterwards was not enough to do ; I also should 
have prayed, that the great God would keep me from 
the evil that was to come : according to what is 
written, * Pray, that ye enter not into temptation.' " 

*' Another cause of this temptation was, that I had 
tempted God, and in this manner : Upon a time my 
wife was great with child, and before her full lime 
was come, her pangs, as of a woman in travail, were 
iierce and strong upon her; even as if she would 
liave immediately fallen in labour, and been deliver- 
ed of an untimely birth. Now at this very time it 
was, that I had been so strongly tempted to question 
the being of God ; wherefore, as my wife lay cry» 
ing by me, I said, but with all secrecy imaginable, 
even thinking in my heart, ' Lord, if now thou wilt 
remove this sad affliction from my wife, and cause 
that she be troubled no more therewith this night (and 
now were her pangs just upon her,) then I shall know 
that thou canst discern the most secret thoughts of the 
heart.' I had no sooner said it in my heart, but her 
pangs were taken from her, and she was cast into a 
deep sleep ; at this I greatly marvelled ; but after a 
good while, I fell to sleep also : so when I avv'aked in 
the morning, it came upon me again, what I had said 
in my heart the last night, and how the Lord had shew- 
ed me, that he knew my secret thoughts ; which was 
a great astonishment unto me for several weeks after. 

" Well, about a year and a half afterwards, that 
sinful thought, of which I have spoken before, went 
through my wicked heart ; even this thought, ' Let 
Christ go if he will :' so vWien I was fallen under 
guilt for this, the remembrance of my other thought, 
and of the eflect thereof, would also come upon me, 
with this rebuke along with it, ' Now you may see 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 27 

that God doth know the most secret thoughts of the 
heart.' 

" And with this, that of the passages that were be- 
twixt the Lord and his servant Gideon, fell upon my 
spirit; how because that Gideon tempted God with 
his fleece, both wet and dry, when he should have be- 
lieved and ventured upon his word : therefore the Lord 
did afterwards so try him, as to send him against an 
innumerable company of enemies ; and that too, as to 
outward appearance, without any strength or help.fc) 
Thus he served me, and that justly ; for I should have 
believed his word, and not have put an if to the all- 
seeing God." 

2. Our au'hor leads us next to remark the advan- 
tages he derived from these painful and distressing tri- 
als ; they were briefly such as these : a strong and abi- 
ding conviction of the being, power, and holiness of 
God — a deep experience of the value and precious- 
ness of the promises, to which he was enabled to cling 
and cleave, as a man in immediate danger of being- 
drowned — an exceeding lively sense of the infinite 
mercy, grace, and love of God, which was at times 
such, that he thinks if it had abode long " it would 
have made him incapable of business." 

We must now resume our narrative, consider our 
author as a public character, and give some account of 
his being called to the work of the ministry, which 
was " about five or six years" after his conversion. 
This was first suggested, it seems, by some serious 
and judicious members of Mr. Giftbrd's church, who 
apprehended that, both from his gifts and experience, 
he was calculated for public and eminent usefulness in 
the church. 

His first attempts were (as is the manner among 
dissenters) in private, and to a few select hearers; 



(a) Judges vi. 7. 



28 THE LIFE OF JOHN BLNYAN. 

afterwards he ventured to exhort in some of the 
neighbouring villages ; and finally, at the desire of 
the church, he was solemnly set apart, w^ith prayer and 
fasting, to the public ministry of the word. As to 
himself, he tells us, he was enabled to see *'that the 
Holy Ghost never intended that men who have gifts 
and abilities should bury them in the earth ; but rather 
did command and stir up such to the exercise of their 
gift ; and also did commend those that were apt and 
ready so to do : " They have addicted themselves to 
the ministry of the saints. "(«) 

When it was known that Bunyan, the profane tinker, 
had commenced a preacher of the Gospel, hearers soon 
flocked around him to the amount of many hundreds, 
and that from all quarters. Nor did he preach long- 
without visible success : many came with weeping 
eyes and bleeding hearts, to confess their sins, and 
bless God for him as the instrument of their conver- 
sion. At first he found it hard to believe that the 
Lord had so highly honoured him, but w^as soon con-< 
strained to join with them in blessing and adoration. 

One instance particularly worth recording', is of a 
dissolute student of Cambridge university, who, being 
induced by curiosity to hear '' the tinker prate," was 
so affected with his sermon as to become a real con- 
vert, and, in the issue, an eminent preacher of the 
Gospel. 

The eifects of this honest man's preaching were so 
different from \vhat usually attended the sermons of 
learned, ingenious, and polite preachers, that the reader 
may probably wish to hear something of the matter 
and method of his preaching, which cannot be gi-s en 
better dian in his own plain but emphatic language. 

"" In my preaching of the word, I took special no- 
tice of this one thing ; namely, that the Lord did 



(a) 1 Cor. xvi. v. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 29 

lead me to begin where his word begins with sin- 
ners ; that is, to condemn all flesh, and to open and 
allege that the curse of God by the law doth be- 
long to, and lay hold on all men as they come into the 
world, because of sin. Now this part of my work I 
fulfilled with great sense [of terror] ; for the terrors of 
the law, and guilt for my transgressions, lay heavy on 
my conscience. 

'' I went myself in chains, to preach to them in 
chains ; and carried that fire in my own conscience 
that I persuaded them to beware of. I can truly say, 
and that without dissembling, that when I have been 
to preach, I have gone full of guilt and terror, even to 
the pulpit door, and there it hath been taken off, and I 
have been at liberty in my mind until I have done my 
work ; and then immediately, even before I could get 
down the pulpit stairs, I have been as bad as I was be- 
fore ; yet God carried me on : but surely with a strong 
hand ; for neither guilt nor hell could take me off* my 
work. 

" Thus I went on for the space of two years. After 
which the Lord came in upon my own soul, with some 
sure peace and comfort through Christ ; for he did give 
me many sweet discoveries of his blessed grace through 
him. Wherefore now I altered in my preaching (for 
still I preached what I saw and felt ; ) now therefore 1 
did much labour to hold forth Jesus Christ in all offices, 
relations, and benefits unto the world, and did strive also 
to discover, to condemn, and remove those false sup- 
ports and props on which the world doth both lean, and 
by them fiiU and perish. On these things also I staid 
as Ions: as on the other. 

" After this, God led me into something of the mys- 
tery of the union of Christ: wherefore that I discovered, 
and shewed to them also. And when I had travelled 
through these three chief points of the word of God, 
about the space of five years or more, I was caught in 
my present practice, and cast into prison j where I 



30 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

have Iain above as long again to confirm the truth 
by way of suffering, as I was before in testifying of it 
according to the scriptures, in a way of preaching. 

" When I have been preaching, I thank God, mv 
heait hath often, all the time of this and the other 
exercise, with great earnestness cried to God thdt he 
would make the word effectual to salvation : wherefore 
I did labour so to speak, as that thereby, if it were 
possible, the sin and person guilty might be ptuticuia- 
rized by it. 

*' Also when I have done the exercise, it hath gone 
to my heart to think the word should now fall as ruin 
on stony places : still wishing, O that they who ha^^e 
heard me speak, did but see as I do, what sin, death, 
hell, and the curse of God is ! and also what the grace, 
and love, and mercy of God is through Christ, to men 
in such a case as they are, who are yet estranged from 
him ! And indeed I did often say in my heart before 
the Lord, that if to be hanged up presently before their 
eyes, \vould be a means to awaken them, and confirm 
them in the truth, I gladly could be contented. 

" When I went first to preach the word abroad, the 
doctors and priests of the country did open wide 
against me : but I was persuaded of this, not to render 
railing for railing, but to see how many of their carnal 
professors I should convince of their miserable state by 
the law, and of the want and worth of Christ ; for, 
thought I, ' This shall ansvv^er for me in time to come, 
when they shall be for my hire before their face. '(a) 

" I never cared to meddle with things that were 
controverted, and in dispute among the saints, 
and especially things of the lowest nature ; yet it 
pleased me much to contend with great earnestness 
for the word of faith, and the remission of sins by the 



(a) Gen. sxx. 33,. 



THE LIFE OF JOllN BUNYAN. 31 

death and sufferings of Jesus ; but, I say, as to other 
things I should but let them alone, because I saw they 
engendered strife, and because that they, neither in do- 
ing, nor in leaving undone, did commend us to God 
to be his. Besides, I saw my vv^ork before me did 
run into another channel, even to carry an awakening 
word ; to that therefore I did adhere. 

" If any of those who were awakened by my ministry, 
did after that fall back (as too many did,) I can truly 
say, their loss hath been more to me, than if my own 
child had been going to its grave. My heart hath 
been so wrapped up in the glory of this excellent work, 
that I counted myself more blessed and honoured of 
God by this, than if he had made me emperor of the 
christian world, or the lord of all the glory of the earth 
without it! Oh, these words! 'He that converteth a 
sinner from the error of his way, doth save a soul from 
death.'(fl) ' They that be wise shall shine as the bright- 
ness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righ- 
teousness, as the stars for ever and ever.'(/^) These, 
I say, with many others of a like nature, have been 
great refreshments to me. 

" My great desire, in my fulfdling my ministry, was 
to get into the darkest places of the country : yet not 
because I could not endure the light, (for I feared not 
to shew my gospel to any,) but because I found my 
spirit leaned most after awakening and converting work, 
and the word that I carried did lean itself most that 
^vay also : ' Yea, so have I strived to preach the gos- 
pel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build 
upon another man's foundation. '(c) 

*' But in this work, as in all other, I had my tempta- 
tions attending me; and that of divers kinds : as some- 
times I should be assaulted with great discouragement 
therein ; fearing that I should not be able to speak a 



(a) James v. 20. (b) Dan, xii, 3, (c) Rom. x-v. 20. 



32 Tnn life of joiin bunyak. 

word at all to edification ; nay, that I should not be able 
to speak sense unto the people: at which times I should 
have such a strange faintness and strengthlessness seize 
upon my body, that my legs have scarce been able to 
carry me to the place of exercise. 

" Sometimes again, when I have been preaching, I 
have been violently assaulted with thoughts of blas- 
phemy, and strongly tempted to speak the words with 
my mouth before the congregation. I have also, at 
times, even w^hen I have begun to speak the word with 
much clearness, evidence, and liberty of speech, yet 
been, before the ending of that opportunity, so blinded, 
and so estranged from the things I have been speaking, 
and have been also sti'aitened in my speech, as to ut- 
temnce before the people, that I have been as if I had 
not known or remembered what I have been about; or 
as if my head had been in a bag all the time of my 
exercise. 

" Again, when at some times I have been about to 
preach upon a smart and searching portion of the w^ord, 
I have found the tempter suggest, ' What ! will you 
preach this? This condemns yourself; wherefore preach 
not of it at all; or if you do, yet so mince it as to make 
way for your own escape ; lest, instead of awakening 
others, you lay that guilt upon your own soul as you 
will never get from under.' But, I thank the Lord, I 
have been kept from consenting to these so hori'id sug- 
gestions ; and have rather, as Sampson, bowed myself 
with all my might, to condemn sin and transgression 
wherever I found it. 

*' I have also, while found in this blessed work of 
Christ, been often tempted to pride and lifting up 
of heart ; and though I dare not say I have not been 
affected with this, yet truly the Lord, of his pre- 
cious mercy, hath so carried it towards me, that for 
the most part I have had but small joy to give way to 
such a thing ; for it hath been my eve^'y day's portion, 
to be let into the e^ils of my own heait, and still made 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BtNYAN. 3*1 

to see such a multitude of corruptions and infirmities 
therein, that it hath caused hanging down of the head, 
under all my gifts and attainments." 

Mr. Bunyan's imprisonment has been already men- 
tioned. He was tried at Bedford quarter sessions in 
1660 : and the indictment stated that " John Bunyan, 
of the town of Bedford, labourer, had devilishly and 
perniciously abstained from coming to church to hear 
divine service, and was a common upholder of several 
unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great dis~ 
turbance and distraction of the good subjects of this 
kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the 
king," &c. Not to animadvert upon the ridiculous lan- 
guage of this indictment, (too much of the same un- 
meaning jargon being still preserved,) the facts were not 
legally proved ; no witnesses were produced against 
him, but some part of his own examination was taken 
for a confession, and recorded : and he was sentenced 
to perpetual banishment, for persisting to preach, and re- 
fusing to conform. The sentence itself was never exe- 
cuted ; but he was very illegally detained a prisoner for 
twelve years and an half in Bedford jail. 

In the early part of his imprisonment the Lord gave 
him favour with the keeper of the jail, and he had many 
indulgences, which the malice of his enemies afterwards 
restrained from him. 

There were confined in the same prison about 
sixty other dissenters, taken at a meeting at Kaistoe, 
in Bedfordshire, among whom were tw^o eminent 
preachers, Mr. Wheeler and Mr Dunn, During his 
confinement he employed his pen, partly in writing his 
Pilgrim's Progress, and other valuable tracts ; partly in 
preaching to his fellow-prisoners, and others who came 
to hear him ; and partly in making tagged laces for the 
support of himself and flimily, an art he acquired after 
he was in confinement. 

As this must have been a trying season, it may be 
worth our inquiry, in what manner his mind was sup- 

5 



34 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

ported and carried through it, which shall be given als(^ 
chiefly in his own words, written (as it should seem) 
while he was yet in prison. 

" I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the 
word of God as now. Those scriptures that I saw 
nothing in before, are made in this place and state to 
shine upon me. So that sometimes, when I have been 
in the savour of them, I have been able ' to laugh at 
destruction, and to fear neither the horse nor his rider.' 
I have had sweet sights of the forgiveness of my sins 
in this place, and of my being with Jesus in another 
world. ' O the mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, 
the innumerable company of angels, and God the judge 
of all, and the spirits of just men made perfect,' and 
JesuSj have been sweet unto me in this place ! I have 
seen that here, that I am persuaded I shall never, while 
in this world, be able to express. I have seen a truth 
in this scripture, ' Whom having not seen, ye love ; in 
whom, tliough now you see him not, yet believing, ye 
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' "(o;) 

For more than a year before his imprisonment, he 
had strong forebodings of this event, and even to a 
more flital issue, for he feared his suflTerings might 
terminate in the gibbet, and he was at this much 
harassed with the apprehension that in such circum- 
stances he might be left to himself, to encounter the 
temptations of the enemy ; and not only suffer distress 
himself, but dishonour also the cause of God : in this 
expectation he was led to apply " to the strong for 
strength," and it was part of his daily petition that he 
might be " strengthened with all might according to 
his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering 
with j oy fulness. "(<!i) That scripture was also a great 
use to him, " We had the sentence of death in our- 



(a) 1 Fet. i. 8. (b) Col. i. 2. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN, 3l} 

selves, that we might not trust in ourselves, but in 
God that raiseth the dcad."(6c) — *' By this scripture 
(says he) I was made to see, that if ever I would suffer 
rightly, I must first pass a sentence of death upon every 
thing properly of this life ; even to reckon myself, my 
wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, 
as dead to me, and myself as dead to them." 

Another consideration of great weight upon his mind 
was, how to support himself without fainting, under 
approaching trials, of which he could not see the issue; 
and he rightly judged, there was no method like that 
recommended by St. Paul, to " look not at the things 
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : 
for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things 
that are not seen are eternal!" And thus our author 
reasoned with himself: 

" If I provide only for a prison, then the whip comes 
at unawares ; and so doth also the pillory. Again, if I 
only provide for these, then I am not fit for banishment. 
Further, if I conclude that banishment is the worst, 
then if death come, I am surprised. So that I see the 
best way to go through sufferings, is to trust in God 
through Jesus Christ, as touching the world to come : and 
as touching this world, to count the grave my house, 
to make my bed in darkness, and to say to corruption, 
' Thou art my father,' and to the worm, ' Thou art 
my mother and sister : ' that is, to fiimiiiarize these 
things to me. 

" But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a 
man encompassed with infirmities. The parting with my 
wife and poor children hath often been to me, in 
this place, as the pulling my flesh from my bones ; 
and that not only because I am somewhat too fond of 
these great mercies, but also because I should have 
often brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries, 
and wants, that m.y poor family was like to meet with ; 



{a) 2 Cor. i. 9. 



'3Q THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

especially my poor blind child, who la}^ nearer my heart 
than all I had beside. Oh ! the thoughts of the hard - 
ships I thought my blind one might go under, would 
break my heart to pieces. But yet recalling myself, 
thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it 
goeth to the quick to leave you. But that which helped 
me in this temptation, was, ' Leave thy fatherless chil- 
dren, I will preserve them alive ; and let thy widows 
trust in me :' and again, ' The Lord said^ Verily it shall 
go well with thy remnant ; verily I will cause the ene- 
my to entreat thee well in the time of evil,' &c.(«) 

'' I had also this consideration, that if I should now 
venture all for God, I engaged God to take care of my 
concernments ; but if I forsook him and his ways, for 
fear of any trouble that should come to me or mine, 
then I should not only falsify my profession, but 
should count also that my concernments were not so 
sure, if left at God's feet, whilst I stood to and for his 
name, as they would be, if they were under my own 
care, though with the denial of the way of God. This 
was a smarting consideration, and as spurs to my 
flesh. 

" I had also the dread of the torments of hell, which 
I w^as sure they must partake of, that, for fear of the 
cross, do shrink from their profession of Christ, his 
w^ords and laws, before the sons of men. I thought 
also of the glory that he had prepared for those that 
in faith, and love, and patience, stood to his ways be- 
fore them. These things, I say, have helped me, 
when the thoughts of the miser}^ that both myself and 
mine might, for the sake of my profession, be expo- 
sed to, hath lain pinching on my mind. 

" When I have indeed conceited, that I might be 
banished for my profession, then I have thought of that 
scripture, ' They were stoned, they were sawn asunder ^ 
were tempted, were slain with the sword : they wan- 



{a) Jer. xlix. 11. 



THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 37 

dered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being des- 
titute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not 
worthy: '(a) for all they thought they were too bad to 
dwell, and abide amongst them. I liave sometimes 
reasoned about the sore and sad estate of a banished 
and exiled condition, how such are exposed to hunger, 
to cold, to perils, to nakedness, to enemies, and a thou- 
sand calamities ; and at last, it may be, to die in a ditch 
like a poor forlorn and desolate sheep. But I thank 
God, hitherto I have not been moved by these most 
delicate reasonings, but have rather by them more ap- 
proved my heart to God." 

It seems wonderful, indeed, that such a man should 
have been suffered to languish so long, and so unjustly, 
in a prison, and that with little eflbrt for his enlarge- 
ment. His wife indeed once applied to the judges 
at the assizes on his behalf, but was opposed by 
the magistrates, who did all in their power to pre- 
judice the judges against him. The great and good 
Sir Matthew Hale^ who was present, appeared desi- 
rous of relieving him, if the matter had been brought 
judicially before him, and for this end advised his 
wife to procure a wiit of error ; but whether they 
were too poor and friendless to do this, or whether 
they were ignorant how to proceed, or intimidated by 
the pov/er of their enemies, or the iniquity of the times, 
no steps appear to have been taken of this nature. 
At length Bishop Barlow^ and some other churchmen, 
rather, as should seem, from motives of compassion 
than of equity, interested themselves on his behalf, and 
procured his enlargement : after which he travelled in 
various parts of the kingdom, visiting and encouraging 
the brethren, insomuch that he was called Bishop Bun- 
yan ; and the reader will doubtless agree with me, that 



(^a) Heb. xi. 57 



38 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

he better merited the title than those downy prelates 
who suffered him to languish twelve years in a jail, for 
preaching that Gospel which they ought to have preach- 
ed themselves. 

In the following reign, when king James II. declared 
for liberty of conscience, Bunyan was enabled, by the 
voluntary contributions of his hearers, to build a meet- 
ing-house, w^here he preached to large congregations, 
as he did also when he visited the metropolis, where he 
was sometimes honoured with the attendance, and de- 
cided approbation, of the great Dr. Owen. And so 
popular was he, that if but one day's notice was given, 
the meeting-house in Southwark, where he generally 
preached, would not hold half the people who attended. 
Three thousand have been gathered together for this 
purpose in a remote part of the town ; and not less than 
twelve hundred at seven o'clock on a dark winter's 
morning, even in the week-days. 

Amidst all this populainty he was kept humble and 
modest in his conversation, and exemplary in his beha- 
viour. Slanders, indeed, were invented by his enemies, 
but soon died away ; and his biographers are all agreed, 
that in the latter part of his life, from his conversion, his 
''moral character was unexceptionable." (a) • 

His valuable life, worn out with labour, and with 
sufferings, closed at the age of threescore, with a me- 
morable act of Christian charity. His conduct in 
his own neighbourhood had procured him the blessed 
character of 2i peace -maker : he was therefore sent to, 
w^hile on a visit at London, by a young gentleman at 
Bedford, to mediate with his offended father, who lived 
at Reading in Berkshire. He succeeded ; but on his 
return to the metropolis, being overtaken with excessive 
rains, came very wet to his friend's (Mr. Straddock, 
grocer,) at the Star on Snow-hill, which produced a fa- 
tal fever. He bore this, as he had done his other suf- 



Cff) Biog. Brit. 



THE ILIFE OF JOHN BtJNYAN. 39 

ferings, with great patience and resignation to the will 
of God, in submission to which, however, he " desired 
to depart and be with Christ." In this frame of spirit 
he lay about ten days, when he crossed the mystical 
Jordan, August 31st, 1688, following his Christian Pz7- 
grim to the celestial city. 

He was buried in a vault belonging to a friend in the 
Dissenters' burial-place, adjoining the Artillery Ground, 
Moorfields — since Bun-hill-fields, traditionally supposed 
to have been so called from his having been one of the 
first buried there. 

Mr. Bunyan was twice married. By his first wife, 
Elizabeth, he had four children, one of whom, named 
Mary^ was blind, and died before him. He married 
his second wife about 1658, and she survived him only 
about four years, dying in 1692. It does not appear 
that she had any children. 

Nor have we any farther account of his children by 
his former wife, so that he appears in history, as an il- 
lustrious pen expresses it, '' an isolated individual," 
without progenitors, and without descendants. 

As to his person and tempe-r, his character is thus 
delineated by the continuator of his life : ''He appeared 
in countenance to be of a stem and rough temper ; but 
in his conversation mild and affable, not given to much 
discourse in company, unless some urgent occasion re- 
quired it ; observing never to boast of himself, or his 
parts, but rather submit himself to the judgment of 
others ; abhorring lying and swearing, being just in all 
that lay in his power to his word ; not seeming to re- 
venge injuries, loving to reconcile differences, and 
make friendship with all. He had a shaq^, quick eye, 
accompanied with an excellent discerning of persons, 
being of good judgment and quick wit. As for his 
person, he was tall of stature, strong boned, though not 
corpulent, somewhat of a ruddy face, with sparkling 
eyes, wearing his hair upon his upper lip after the old 
British fashion : his hair reddish, but in his latter days, 
time had sprinkled it with gray ; his nose well set, but. 



40 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN. 

not declining or bending, and his mouth moderate 
large, his forehead something high, and his habit ahvays 
plain and modest." 

'His works form two large volumes in folio, and con- 
tain, according to Mr. Grainger, (a) as many tracts 
as he had lived years : a great part of them were pro- 
bably the substance of his pulpit discourses, which he 
used commonly to commit to writing, not before, b.ut 
after, he had preached them. 



(a) Biog". Hist, of Eng. 



THE 



A^UTHOR'S APOLOGV4 



— s=CD©<i£5>-- 



When at the first I took my pen In hand, 
*rhus for to write, I did not understand 
That I at all should make a litde Book 
In such a mode : nay, I had undertook 
To make another ; which, when almost done^ 
Before I was aware, I thus begun. 

And thiis it was : I, writing of the way 
And race of saints in this our gospel-day, 
Fell suddenly into an allegory, 
About their journey, and the way to glory, 
In more than twenty things, which I set down 
This done, I twenty more had in my crown, 
And they again began to multiplyj 
Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly* 
Nay then, thought I, if that you breed so fast^ 
I'll put you by yourselves, lest you at last 
Should prove ad injinitum, and eat out 
The book that I already am about. 



42 THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY. 

Well, so I did ; but yet I did not think 
To shew to all the world my pen and ink 
In such a mode ; I only thought to make 
I knew not what ; nor did I undertake 
Thereby to please my neighbour ; no, not I, 
I did it mine own self to gratify. 

Neither did I but vacant seasons spend 
In this my scribble ; nor did I intend 
But to divert myself in doing this. 
From worser thoughts, which made me do amissc 

Thus I set pen to paper with delight, 
And quickly had my thoughts in black and white* 
For having now my method by the end, 
Still as I puirdit came ; and so I penn'd 
It down, until at last it came to be, 
For length and breadth, the bigness which you see- 
Well, when I had put my ends together, 
I shew'd them others, that I might see whether 
They would condemn them, or them justify ; 
And some said. Let him live ; some, Let him die ; 
Some said, John, print it ; others said, Not so. 
Some said, It might do good ; others said, No. 

Now I was in a strait, and did not see 
Which was the best thing to be done by me : 
At last I thought, since you are thus divided, 
I print it will ; and so the case decided. 

For, thought I, some I see would have it done/ 
Tho' others in that channel do not run : 
To prove then who advised for the best, 
Thus I thought fit to put it to the test. 
I farther thought, if now I did deny 
Those that would have it, thus to gratify, 
1 did not know, but hinder them I might 
Of that which would to them be great delight : 



THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY. 4 

For those which were not for its coming forth, 
I said to them, Offend you I am loth : 
Yet since your brethren pleased with it be, 
Forbear to judge till you do farther see. 

If that you would not read, let it alone : 
Some love the meat, some love to pick a bone. 
Yea, that I might them better moderate, 
I did too with them thus expostulate : 

May I not write in such a style as this ? 
In such a method too, and yet not miss 
My end, thy good ? Why may it not be done ? 
Dark clouds bring waters, when the bright bring none. 
Yea, dark or bright, if they their silver drops 
Cause to descend, the earth, by yielding crops, 
Gives praise to both, and carpeth not at either, 
But treasures up the fruit they yield together ; 
Yea, so commixes both, that in their fruit 
None can distinguish this from that ; they suit 
Her well, when hungry ; but if she be full, 
She spews out both, and makes their blessing null. 

You see the ways the fisherman doth take 
To catch the fish ; what engines doth he make ? 
Behold ! how he engageth all his wits ; 
Also his snares, lines, angles, hooks, and nets ; 
Yet fish there be, that neither hook nor line, 
Nor snares, nor net, nor engine can make thine : 
They must be grop'd for, and be tickled too. 
Or they will not be catch'd, whatc'er you do. 

How does the fowler seek to catch his game 
By divers means ? All which one cannot name : 
His gun, his nets, his lime-twigs, light and bell : 
He creeps, he goes, he stands : yea, who can tell 
Of all his postures ? Yet there's none of these 
Will make him master of what fowls he please. 
Yea, he must pipe and whistle to catch this ; 
Yet, if he does so, that bird he will miss. 



44 THE AUTHOIi^S APOLOGY. 

Jf that a pearl may on a toad's head dwell. 
And may be found too in an oyster shell ; 
If things that promise nothing, do contain 
What better js than gold ; who will disdain, 
That have an inkling of it, there to look 
That they may find it ! Now my little book 
(Tho' void of all these paintings that may make 
It with this or the other man to take) 
Is not without these things that do excel, 
What do in brave, but empty notions dwell. 

Well, yet I am not fully satisfied, 
That this your book will stand, when soundly tried. 
Why, what's the matter ? It is dark : What though "r 
But it is feigned : What of that ? I trow, 
Some men, bv feigned words as dark as mine. 
Make truth to spangle, and its rays to shine ! 
But they want solidness : speak, man, thy mind : 
They drown the weak ; metaphors make us blind. 

Solidity, indeed, becomes the pen 
Of him that writeth things divine to men : 
But must I needs want solidness, because 
By metaphors I speak ? Were not God's laws, 
His gospel laws, in older times held forth 
By shadov/s, types, and metaphors ? Yet loth 
Will any sober man be to find fault 
With them, lest he be found for to assault 
The highest wisdom : No: he rather stoops, 
And seeks to find out what by pins and loops. 
By calves and sheep, by heifers and by rams. 
By birds and herbs, and by the blood of lambs, 
God spcaketh to him ; and full happy he 
That finds the light and grace that in them be ! 

Be not too forward therefore to conclude 
That I want solidness ; that I am rude : 
All things solid in shew not solid be ; 
Ail things in parables despise not we, 
Lest things most hurtful lightly we receive, 
Aiid things that good are of our souls bereave. 



THE AUTHOR'S APOIiOGY. 45 

My dark and cloudy ^vords they do but hold 
The truth, as cabinets enclose the gold. 

The prophets used much by metaphors 
To set forth truth ; yea, whoso considers 
Christ, his apostles too, shall plainly see, 
That truths to this day in such mantles be. 

I am afraid to say that Holy Writ, 
Which for its style and phrase puts down all wit, 
Is every where so full of all these things, 
(Dark figures, allegories) yet there springs 
From that same book, that lustre, and those rays 
Of light, that turn our darkest nights to days. 

Come, let my carper to his life now look. 
And find there darker lines than in my Book 
He findeth any : yea, and let him know 
That in his best things there are worse lines too. 

May we but stand before impartial men, 
To his poor one I dare adventure ten, 
That they will take my meaning in these lines, 
Far better than his lies in silver shrines. 
Come. Truth, although in swaddUng clouts, I findj 
Informs the judgment, rectifies the mind; 
Pleases the understanding, makes the will 
Submit, the memory also it doth fill 
With what doth our imagination please ; 
Likewise it tends our troubles to appease. 

Sound words, I know% Timothy is to use, 
And old wives' fables he is to refuse ; 
But yet grave Paul him no where did forbid 
The use of parables ; in which lay hid 
That gold, those pearls, and precious stones that were 
\Yorth diggings for, and that with greatest care. 



46 THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY. 

Let me add one word more : O man of GoDy 

Art thou offended ? Dost thou wish I hud 

Put forth my matter in another dress ? 

Or, that I had in things been more express ? 

To those that are my betters, as is fit, 

Three things let me propound, then I submit : 

1. I find not that I am denied the use 
Of this method, so I do not abuse 
Put on the words, things, readers, or be rude 
In handling figure or similitude, 
In application ; but all that I may 
Seek the advance of truth this or that way. 
Denied, did I say ? Nay, I have leave 
(Examples too, and that from them that have 
God better pleased, by their words or ways, 
Than any man that breathes now in our days) 
Thus to express my mind, thus to declare 
Things unto thee that excellentest are, 

2. I find that men (as high as trees) will write 
Dialogue ways ; yet no man doth them slight 
For writing so : indeed, if they abuse 

Truth, cursed be they, and the craft they use 
To that intent ; but yet let truth be free 
To make her sallies upon thee and me, 
Which way it pleases God ; for who knows hoWj 
Better than he that taught us first to plow, 
To guide our minds and pens for his design ? 
And he makes base things usher in divine. 

3. I find that Holy Writ, in many places, 
Hath semblance with this method, where the cases 
Do call for one thing to set forth another : 

Use it I may then, and yet nothing smother 
Truth's golden beams ; nay, by this method may 
Make it cast forth its rays as light as day. 



THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY. 

And now, before I do put up my pen, 
ril shew the profit of my book, and then 
Commit both thee and it into that hand, 
That pulls the strong down, and makes weak ones 
stand. 

This book, it chalketh out before thine eyes 
The man that seeks the everkisting prize : 
It shews you whence he comes, whither he goes ; 
What he leaves undone ; also what he does : 
It shews you how he runs and runs. 
Till he unto the gate of glory comes. 

It shews, too, who set out for life amain, 
As if the lasting crown they would obtain : 
Here also you may see the reason why 
They lose their labour, and like fools do die. 

This book will make a traveller of thee, 
If by its counsel thou wilt ruled be ; 
It will direct thee to the holy land. 
If thou wilt its directions understand : 
Yea, it will make the slothful active be ; 
The blind also delightful things to see. 

Art thou for something rare and profitable ? 
Or wouldst thou see a truth within a fable ? 
Art thou forgetful ? Or wouldst thou remember 
From new-year's to the last of December ? 
Then read my fancies ; they will stick like burs, 
And may be to the helpless comforters. 

This Book is wrote in such a dialect, 
As may the minds of listless men affect : 
It seems a novelty, and yet contains 
Nothing but sound and honest gospel strains. 

Wouldst thou divert thyself from melancholy ? 
Wouldst thou be pleasant, yet be far from folly ? 



48 THK author's apology, 

Wouldst thou read riddles, and their explanation ? 
Or else be drowned in thy contemplation ? 
Dost thou love picking meat ? Or wouldst thou sec 
A man i' th', clouds, and hear him speak to thee ? 
Wouldst thou be in a dream, and yet not sleep ? 
Or, wouldst thou in a moment laugh and w^eep ? 
Or, wouldst thou lose thyself, and catch no harm ; 
And find thyself again without a charm ? 
Wouldst read thyself, and read thou know'st not what^ 
And vet know whether thou art bless'd or not. 
By reading the same lines ? O then come hither ! 
And lay my book, thy head, and heart together. 

JOHN BUNYAN- 



THE 



PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. 



PART L 



CHAPTER L 

THE author's imprisonment AND DREAM. CHRIS^ 
TIAN CONVINCED OF SIN, FLIES FROM THE WRATH 
TO COME, AND IS DIRECTED BY THE GOSPEL TO 
CHRIST* 

As I walked through the wilderness of this world, 1 
lighted on a certain place where was a den,^ and laid 
me down in that place to sleep : and as I slept I dreamed 
a dream* I dreamed ; and^ behold, *' I saw a man 
clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his 
face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a 
great burden upon his back."(fl) I looked, and saw 
him open the book and read therein ; and as he read 
he wept and trembled ; and, not being able longer to 



* Mr. Bunyan wrote this precious book in Bedford g'aol, where he was 
confined for preaching the Gos})el, as a non-conformist, or dissenter. To 
this he refers when lie speaks of the " den." I'he Lord frequently causes 
*' the wrath of man to praise him." The servants of Christ, when restrain- 
ed by penal laws, from publishing the word of life from the pulpit, have 
become more abundantly useful by their writings. 

(fl) Isa. Ixiv. 6. Luke iir- 22. Psal. xxxviii. 4. Hab, ii. 2. Acts xvi, 3L 

7 



»s 



50 THE pilgrim's DISTRESS. 



contain, he brake out with a lamentable cry,^^" saying\ 
" What shall Ido?"(«) 

In this phght therefore he went home, and refrained 
himself as long as he could, that his wife and children 
should not perceive his distress ; but he could not be 
silent long, because that hrs trouble increased : where- 
fore at length he brake his mind to his wife and chil- 
dren; and thus he began to talk to them : " O my dear 
wife,'^ said he, *' and you the children of my bowels, 
I your dear friend aiti in myself undone by reason of a 
burden that lieth hard upon me : moreover, I am cer- 
tainly informed that this our cityf w^ill be burned with 
ilre from heaven : in which fearful overthrow, both mxy- 
self, with thee my wife, and you my sweet babes, shall 
miserably come to ruin, except (die which yet I see 
not) some way of escape may be found, whereby we 
may be delivered.'' At this his relations were sore 
amazed ;:j: not for that they believed that what he had 
said to them w^as true, but because they thought some 
frenzy distemper had got into his head ; therefore, it 
dra^ving towards night, and they hoping that sleep 



* The ci'}- of an awakened sinner, who sees Ills own righteousness to be 
as filthy rag-s, his soul in a stale of wrath and wretchedness, exposed to ever- 
lasting- destruction, ieeiing- the burden ofliis sins upon his back, he turns his 
fiice from liis own house, from himself, from all his false hopes and vain COR- 
iidcnces, for refuse, and takes his Bible in his hand to direcl him where he 
shall (lee for safety and salvation. The more a sinner reads therein, the more 
he is convinced of tlie wretched state and ruined condition of his precious 
immortal soul, and of his necessity of fleeing to Christ for eternal life and 
salvation. As he reads, he weeps and trembles to think what will become 
of him. Reader, was this ever your case ? Did you ever sceyour sins, and 
feel the burden of them, so as to cry out, in the ang'uish of your soul. What 
must I do to be saved ? If not, you will look on this precious book as a ro- 
mance, or history, wliich no way concerns you ; you can no more understand 
tlie meaning- of it, than if it was wrote in an unknown lang-uatje ; for you 
are yet carnal, dead in your sins, lying- in the arms of the wicked one in 
false secm'ity. But this book is spiritual ; it can only be understood by s])iri- 
tually quickened souls, who ha\e experienced that salvation in the heart 
which begins with a sight of sin, a sense of sin, a fear of destruction, and 
dread of damnation. Such, and only such, commence Pilgrims from the 
city of Destruction to the heavenly king-dom. 

f Tliis world. 

i- Conviction of sin in tlie lieart, will discover itself to those about us, 
by the outward conduct and behaviour of the life. 

(o) Acts ii. 57 



EVANGELIST INSTRUCTS HIM. 51 

might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to 
bed :^" but the night was as troublesome to him as the 
day; wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs 
and tears. So when tlie morning was come they would 
know how he did : he told them, " IVorse andxvorsey 
He also set to talking to them again, but they began to 
be hardened. They also thought to drive away his dis- 
temper by harsh and surly carriage to him : sometimes 
they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and' 
sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore 
he began to retire himself to his chamber, to pray for 
and pit}^ them ; and also to condole his own misery. 
He would also walk solitarily in the fields, sometimes 
reading and sometimes praying ; and thus for some 
days he spent his time. 

Now I saw, upon a time when he was walking in the 
fields, that he was (as he was vv^ont) reading in his book, 
and greatly distressed in his mind ; and as he read, he 
burst out, as he had done before, crying, " What shall 
I do to be saved ?"t(<^) 

I saw also that he looked this way and that way, as if 
he would run ; yet he stood still, because (as I per- 
ceived) he could not tell which way to go. I looked 
then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to 
him ; and he asked, " Wherefore dost thou cry ?"J 

He answered ; Sir, I perceive by the book in my 
hand that I am condemned to die, and after that to 
come to judgment ; and I find that I am not willing to 
do the fust, nor able to do the second. ^(^) 

Then said Evangelist, Why not w^iliing to die, since 
this life is attended with so many evils ? The man an- 



* Wlien we begin to be wise unto salvation, carnal friends prononnce us 
mad unto destiMicliofi ; and administer carnnl medicine for ova- sin-sick souls. 

-}- No soul was ever in earnest for salvation, till there is a cry in his heart 
to be saved from the wrath of an offended God. 

t Behold here the tender love and care of Jesus, the great Shepherd and 
Bishop of soids, to sin-distressed, heavy laden sinners, in sending Evangelist; 
that is, a preacher of gospel grace, and glad tidings of salvation to them. 

§ A true confession of an enliglitened, sensible sinner. 

(a) Acts xvi. 30, 31. {b) Heb. ix. 27- Job xvi. 21, 22. Ezdc. xxii. 14. 



$2 EVANGELIST INSTRUCTS HIM. 

swered, Because I fear that this burden that is upon my 
back* will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall 
fall into Top he t. (a) And, Sir, if I be not fit to go to 
prison, I am not fit to goto judgment, and from thence 
to execution ; and the thoughts of these things make 
me cry. 

Then said Evangelist, If this be thy condition, why 
standest thou still ? He answered. Because I know not 
whither to go. Then he gave him a parchment roll ; 
and there was written within, " Flee from the wrath to 
eome,"t(<^) 

The man therefore read it, and, looking upon Evan- 
gelist very carefully, said. Whither must I flee ? Then 
said Evangelist, pointing with his finger over a very 
wide field, Do you see yonder Wicket-gate ?{c) The 
man said, No, Then said the other, Do you see yon- 
der shining light ?(f/)J He said, I think I do. Then 
said Evangelist, Keep that light in thine eye, and go up 
directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate ; at which 
when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou 
shalt do. 



* The convictions of the Spirit of God in the heart, make a man feel the 
insupportable burden of sin upon liis back, and to dread the wrath of God 
revealed from heaven against sin. 

y The gospel never leaves a convinced sinner in the miserable situation in 
which it finds him, without hope and relief; but points him to Jesus for 
safety and salvation, that he may fly from himself and the wrath he feels in 
himself, to the fulness of the grace of Christ, signified by the ^Vicket-Gate. 

i Christ, and the way to him, cannot be found without tlie word. The 
word directs to Christ, and the Spirit shines into the heart, whereby th^ 
sinner sees Christ in the word. This makes God*s word precious. 

(«) Isa. XXX. 33. (b) Matt. iii. 7- (c) Matt. vii. 13, 14. 
{d) Psal. cxix. 105. 2 Pet. i. 19. 



o 



OBSTINATE AND PLIABLE PURSUE CHRISTIAN. 5.' 



CHAPTER II. 

CHRISTIAN PROCEEDS OBSTINATE REFUSES TO ACCOM- 
PANY HIM PLIABLE GOES AS FAR AS THE SLOUGH, 

AND RETURNS. 

So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. 
Now he had not run far from his own door, but his 
wife and children (perceiving it) began to cry after him 
to return ;(fi;) but the man put his fingers in his ears, 
and ran on, crying, " Life ! life ! eternal life!'' So he 
looked not behind him,(6) but fled towards the middle 
of the plain. ^ 

The neighbours also came out to seef him run : and, 
as he ran, some mocked, others threatened, and some 
cried after him to return ; and among those that did so 
there were two that were resolved to fetch him back by 
force. The name of one was Obstinate, and the name 
of the other Pliable. Now by this time the man was 
got a good distance from them ; but, however, they 
were resolved to pursue him ; which they did, and in 
a little time they overtook him. Then said the man, 
Neighbours, wherefore are ye come ? They said. To 
persuade you to go back with us; but he said. That 
can by no means be : you dwell, said he, in the city of 
Destruction ; the place also where I was born ; I see it 
to be so ; and dying there, sooner or later, you will 
sink lower than the grave into a place that burns with 



* When a sinner begins to fly from destruction, carnal relations will strive 
to prevent him ; but it is wiser to stop our ears against the reasonings of 
flesh and blood, than to parley with them. Carnal atiections cunnot prevail 
over spiritual convictions. The sinner who is in earnest for salvation, will 
be deaf to invitations to go back. The more he is solicited by them, the 
faster he will fly from them. 

f He who flies from the wrath to come, and leads a life of righteousness, 
is a gazing stock to the world. 

(rt) Luke xiv. 26. (A) Gen. xis. 17. 2 Cor. iy. 18. 



54 THEY OVERTAKE HIM. 

fire and brimstone : be content, good neighbours, and 
go along with me.*" 

What, said Obstinate, and leave our friends and our 
comforts behind us ! 

Yes, said Christian, (for that was his name) because 
that all which you shall forsake is not worthy to be 
compared with a little of that that I am seeking to en- 
joy; and if you will ^o along with me, and hold it, you 
shall fare as I myself; for there where I go is enough, 
and to spare :{a) come away, and prove my vrords. 

Ob ST. What are the things you seek, since you 
leave all the world to find them ? 

Chr. I seek an '* inheriti^nce incorruptible, undefi- 
led, and that fadeth not away ; and it is laid up in hea- 
ven, "(6) and safe there, to be bestov/ed at the time ap- 
pointed on them that diligently seek it. Read it so, if 
you will in my book. 

Tush, said Obstinate, av»'ay with your book : will 
vou q:o back with us or no ? 

No, not I, said the other, because I have laid my 
hand to the plough, fc) 

Ob ST. Come then, neighbour Pliable, let us turn 
again and go home without him : there is a company # 
of these crazy-headed coxcombs, that when they take 
a fancy by the end are wiser in their own eyes than se- 
ven men that can render a reason. 

Then said Pliable, Don't revile ; if w^hat the good 
Christian says is true, the things he looks after arc 
better than ours ; my heart inclines to go with my 
neighbour. 

Ob ST. What! more fools still ? be ruled by me, 
and go back ; who knows whither such a brain-sick 



* The g-emiine spirit of a sinner, convinced of sin, and fleeing" from de- 
struction. He would ,^ladly persuade other poor sinners to tjo with Inm. 
The least spark of grace from God in the heart discovers itself in good will 
to men. 

(a) Luke XV. 17. (A) 1 Pet. i. 4—6. Heb. xi. 6—16. (r) Luke ix. 62. 



PLIABLE ACCOMPANIES HIM. 55 

fellow will lead you ? Go back, go back, and be 
wise.^" 

Chr. Nay, but do thou come with thy neighbour 
Pliable ; there are such things to be had which I spake 
of, and many more glories besides : if you believe not 
me, read here in this book ; and, for the truth of what 
is expressed therein, behold, all is confirmed by the 
blood of him that made it. (a) 

Well, neighbour Obstinate, saith Pliable, I begin to 
come to a point : I intend to go along with this good 
man, and to cast in my lot with him : but, my good 
companion, do you know the way to this desired 
place ? 

Chr. I am directed by a man, whose name is Evan- 
gelist, to speed me to a little gate that is before us, 
where we shall receive instructions about the way. 

Pli. Come then, good neighbour, let us be going. 
Then they went both together. 

And I will go back to my place, said Obstinate ; 
I will be no companion of such misled fantastical 
fellows, t 

Now I saw in my dream, that when Obstinate was 
gone back. Christian and Pliable went talking over the 
plain ; and thus they began their discourse. 

Chr. Come, neighbour Pliable, how do you do? I 
am glad you are persuaded to go along with ,me ; had 
even Obstinate himself but felt what I have felt of the 
powers and terrors of what is yet unseen, he would not 
thus lightly have given us the back. 

Pli. Come, neighbour Christian, since there are 
none but us two here, tell me now further, what the 



* He who never became a fool in the eyes of the world for Christ, is not 
yet made wise unto salvation through the faith of Christ. 

f Here see the different effects which gospel truths have upon natural 
men. Obstinate totally rejects them. Pliable hears of them with joy, be- 
Keves somewhat of them for a season, and accompanies Christian a little way 

(fl) Heb. ix. 17—22. 



B6 THEIR CONVERSATIOA. 

things are, and how to be enjoyed, whither we are 
going. 

Chr. I can better conceive of them with my mind 
than speak of them with my tongue : but yet, since 
you are desirous to know, I will read of them in my 
book. 

Pli. And do you think that the words of your book 
are certainly true ? 

Chr. Yes, verily, for it was made by him that can- 
not lie.(G^) 

Pli. Well said ; what things are they f 

Chr. There is an endless kingdom to be inhabited, 
and everlasting life to be given us that we may inhabit 
that kingdom for ever.(<^) 

Pli. Well said ; and what else? 

Chr. There are crowns of glory to be given us ; and 
garments that will m.ake us shine like the sun in the fir- 
mament of heaven. (c) 

Pli. This is very pleasant ; and what else? 

Chr. There shall be no more crying nor sorrow ; for 
he that is owner of the place will wipe all tears from 
our eyes. (J) 

Pli. And what company shall we have there ? 

Chr. There we shall be with seraphims and cheru- 
bims, creatures that will dazzle your eyes to look on 
them.(e') There also you shall meet with thousands 
and tens of thousands that have gone before us to that 
place ; none of them are hurtful, but loving and holy ; 
every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in 
his presence with acceptance for ever. In a word, 
there we shall see the elders with their golden crowns, (y) 
there we shall see holy virgins with their golden 
harps ;{g) there we shall see men that by the world 
were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts, 
drowned in the seas, for the love that they bare to the 



(a) Tit. i. 2. (h) Isa. xlv. 17. John x. 27—29. (c) 2 Tim. iv. S. 

Rev. xxii. 5. Mat. xiii. 43. (ti) Isa. xxv. 8. Rev. vii 16,17. 

sxi, 4. (e) Isa. vi. 2. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. 

(/) Rev. iv. 4. (g) Rev. xiv. 1—5. 



TltE SLOUGH OF DESPOND. 57 

tiord of the place, as well, and clothed with immortality 
as with a garment. (c) 

Pli. The hearing of tliis is enough to ravish one's 
heart : but are these things to be enjoyed ? how shall we 
get to be sharers thereof? 

Chr. The Lord, the governor of the country, hath 
recorded that in this book ; the substance of which is, 
if we be truly willing to have it, he will bestow it upon 
us freely. (/^) 

Pli. Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear 
of these things ; come on, let us mend our pace.^ 

Chr. I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of 
this burden that is on my back. 

Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended 
this talk they drew nigh to a very miry slough that was 
in the midst of the plain, and they being heedless did 
both fall suddenly into the bog. The name of the 
slough was Despond. Here therefore they wallowed 
for a time, being grievously bedaubed with dirt ; and 
Christian, because of the burden that was on his back, 
began to sink in the mire. 

Then said Pliable, Ah ! neighbour Christian, where 
are you now ? 

Truly, said Christian, I do not know. 

At that Pliable began to be offended, and angrily 
said to his fellow. Is this the happiness you have told 
me all this while of? If we have such ill speed at our 
first setting out, what may we expect betwixt this and 



* Here see the fleshly joys arid flashy comforts of temporary professors : 
he is too hot to hold ; too light (having never felt the burden of his sins) 
to travel far. Oar Lord describes such as the stony ground hearers. They 
receive the word with joy ; the word hath no root in their hearts ; they be- 
lieve a while ; but in times of temptation fall avvay. Luke viii. 15. So did 
i*liable at the slough of Despond. This signifies those desponding fears, 
and despairing doubts which beset us, arising from unbelief of God's word, 
the suggestions of Satan, and the carnal reasonings of our corrupt nature, 
against the revealed truths, and precious promises of God. These try the 
reality of our convictions^ and the sincerity of our faith. 

(a) John xii. 25. 2 Cor. v. 2 — *. 
(b) Isa. Iv. 1—3. John vi. 37. vii. 37. Rev. xxi. 6. xxii. IT. 



5S PLIABLE RETURKS HOME* 

our journey's end ? May I get out again with my life', 
you shall possess the brave country alone for me : And 
with that he gave a desperate struggle or two, and got 
put of the mire on that side of the slough which was 
next his own house : so away he went, and Christian 
saw him no more.^- 

Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the slough 
of Despond alone ; but still he endeavoured to struggle 
to that side of the slough that was furthest from his 
own house, and next to the Wicket- gate if the w^hich 
he did, but could not get out because of the burden that 
was upon his back. But I beheld, in my dream, that 
a man came to him, whose name was Help, J and asked 
him, What he did there ? 

Sir, said Christian, I was bid to go this way by a 
man, called Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder 
gatCj that I might escape the wrath to come : and as I 
was going thither I fell in here. 

Help, But why did you not look for the steps ?§ 

Chr. Fear followed me st) hard, that I fled the next 
way, and fell in. 

. Help. Then said he. Give me thy hand; so he 
gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set 
him upon sound ground, and bid him go on his 
way. (a) 

Then I stepped to him that plucked him out, and 
said ; Sir, wherefore, since over this place is the way 
from the city of Destruction to yonder gate, is 



* It is not enoug-li to be pliable ; for the first trial he met v. ith cooled his 
couraj^e, damped his joy, killed his faith> and sent him back to the City of 
Destruction. 

f Christian, in trouble, seeks still to get farther from his own house. See 
■the difference between a truly convinced sinner, and a phable unconverted 
professor ; one keeps his face towards Christ for hope and help ; the other 
flies back for comfort to the City of liestruction. 

i The arm of Christ's omnipotent grace, reached forth to snatch poor 
sinners from destruction ; for he says to them " Thou hast destroyed thy- 
self, but in me is thine help." Ilosea xiii. 9. 

§ The great and precious promises of God, which are in Christ Jesus to 
poor, needy, and distressed sinners. 

(fi*) PsaJ. xl 5. 



ACCOUiNT OF THE SLOUGH* 59 

it that this plat is not mended, that poor travellers 
might go thither with more security ?. And he said 
unto me, This miry slough is such a place as cannot 
be mended : it is the descent whither the scum and 
filth that attends conviction for sin doth continually run, 
and therefore it was called the slough of Despond : for 
still, as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, 
there arise in his soul many fears and doubts, and 
discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get to- 
gether, and settle in this place : And this is the reason 
of . the badness of this grouncl. 

Vlt is not the pleasure of the king that this place 
should remain so hiid;{a) his labourers also have, by 
the direction of his majesty's surveyors, been for above 
these sixteen hundred years employed about this patch 
of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended : yea, 
and to my knowledge, said he^ here have been swallow- 
ed up at least twenty thousand cart-loads ; yea, millions 
of wholesome instructions, that have at all seasons been 
brought from all places of the king's dominions (and they 
that can tell^ say, they are the best materials to make 
good the ground of the place,) if so be it might have 
been mended : but it is the slough of Despond still ; and 
so will be, when they have done what they can.* 

True, there are, by the direction of the law-giver, 
certain good and substantial steps placed even through 
the very midst of this slough; but at such times as 
this place does much spew out its filth, as it doth against 
change of weather, these steps are hardly seen ; or if 
they be, men through the dizziness of their heads step 
beside ; and then they are bemired to purpose, notwith- 



* Signifying', that there is nothinj^ but despondency and despair in the 
fallen nature of sinful man : the best that we can do, leaves us in the slough 
of Despond, as to any hopes in ourselves. 

(a) Isa. XXXV, 3, 4. 



60 PLIABLE REACHES HOME, 

standing the steps be there : but the ground is good 
when thy are once got in at the gate. (a)* 

Now I saw in my dream, that by this time Pliable was 
got home to his house. So his neighbours came to 
visit him ; and some of them called him wise man for 
coming back ; and some called him fool for hazarding 
himself with Christian : others again did mock at his 
cowardliness ;t saying, " Surely, since you began to ven- 
ture, I would not have been so base to have given out 
for a few difficulties;" so Pliable sat sneaking among 
them. But at last he got more confidence ; and then 
they all turned their taJes, and began to deride poor 
Christian behind his back. And thus much concern=. 
ing Pliable. 



* That is the Lord Jesus Christ. We never find g-ood ground, nor safe 
^ounding•, nor comfortable walking, till we enter into possession of Christ by 
faith, and till our feet are set upon Him, who is the Rock of ages. 

f They who affect to despise real Christians, often both express and feel 
great contempt for those that cast off their profession : such men are unable, 
for a time, to resume their wonted confidence among their former com-> 
panions ; and this excites them to pay court to them, by reviling and de- 
tiding those whom they have forsaken. 

{a) i Sam. xii. 22. 



Worldly- WISEMAN meets christian. 61 



CHAPTER III. 

CiHRISTIAN DECEIVED BY THE ADVICE OF MR. WORLD- 
LY-WISEMAN, TURNS OUT OF THE WAY, AND IS 
GREATLY ALARMED.; BUT HAPPILY MEETING WITH 
'EVANGELIST, RETURNS TO THE RIGHT PATH, AND 
PROCEEDS ON HIS JOURNEY, 

ISTOW as Christian was walking solitarily by him. 
self, he spied one afar oiF crossing over the field to 
meet him ; and their hap was to meet just as they were 
crossing the way to each other. The gentleman's 
name, that met him, was Mr. Worldly-wiseman ; he 
dw^elt in the town of Carnal-policy ; a very great town, 
and also hard by from whence Christian came. This 
man, then, meeting with Christian, and having some 
inkling of him, (for Christian's setting forth from the city 
of Destruction was much noised abroad, not only in the 
town where he dwelt, but also it began to be the town- 
talk in some other places;) Mr. Worldly-wiseman, 
therefore, having some guess of him, by beholding his 
laborious going, by observing his sighs and groans, and 
the like, began thus to enter into some talk with Chris- 
tian. 

World. How now, good fellow, whither away after 
this burdened manner ? 

Chr. a burdened manner indeed, asever, Ithink, poor 
creature had ! And whereas you asked me, whither 
away ? I tell you, Sir, I am going to yonder Wicket- 
gate before me ; for there, as I am informed, I shall be 
put in a way to be rid of my heavy burden. 

World. Hast thou a wife and children ? 

Chr. Yes; but I am so laden with this burden, that I 
cannot take that pleasure in them as formerly ; me- 
thinks I am as if I had none.(fl) 



,{a) 1 Cor. vli. 29. 



62 WORLDLY-WISEMAN's counsel to CimiSTIAN. 

World. Wilt thou hearken to me if I give thee 
counsel ? 

Chr. If it be goody I will ; for I stand in need of 
good counsel. 

World. I would advise thee, then, that thou with 
all speed get thyself rid of thy burden ; for thou wilt 
never be settled in thy mind till then, nor canst thou en- 
joy the benefits of the blessings which God hath bestow- 
ed upon thee till then. 

Chr. That is that which I seek for, even to be rid 
of this heavy burden ; but get it off myself I cannot : nor 
is there any man in our country that can take it off my 
shoulders : therefore am I going this way as I told you, 
that I may be rid of my burden.* 

World. Who bid you go this way to be rid of your 
burden ? 

Chr. a man that appeared to me to be a very great 
and honourable person ; his name, as I remember, is 
Evangelist. 

World. Beshrew him for his counsel ; there is not 
a more dangerous and troublesome way in the world 
than is that unto which he hath directed thee ; and 
that thou shalt find if thou wilt be ruled by his coun- 
sel. Thou hast met with something, as I perceive, 
already; for I see the dirt of the slough of Despond is 
upon thee ; but that slough is the beginning of the sor- 
rows that do attend those that go on in that w^ay. Hear 
me ; I am older than thou ; thou art like to meet with, 
on the way which thou goest, wearisomeness, painful- 
ness, hunger, perils, nakedness, sword, lions, dragons, 
darkness, and, in a word, death, and what not ! These 
things are certainly true, having been confirmed by ma- 
ny testimonies. And why should a man so carelessly 
cast away himself by giving heed to a stranger ? 



* A glimpse of the Wlcket-^ate, or of deliverance from the guilt of sin 
by Ciirist, will make tiie sinuei- reject all other ways, aiid press on towards 
Clirist only. 



tfiEtfi T'UllTHER CONVfiRSAtiON. 63 

Chr. Why, Sir, this burden upon my back is more 
terrible to me than are all these things which you 
have mentioned : nay, methinks I care not what I meet 
with in my way, if so be I can also meet with deliver- 
ance from my burden.* 

World. How camest thou by the burden at first? 

Chr. By reading this book in my hand. 

WoRLD.f I thought so ; and it has happened unto 
thee as to other weak men, who meddling with things 
too high for them, do suddenly fall into thy distrac- 
tions ; which distractions do not only unman men (as 
thine I perceive have done thee,) but they run them 
upon desperate ventures to obtain they know not 
what. 

Chr. I know what I would obtain; it is ease from 
my heavy burden. 

World. But why wilt thou seek for ease this way, 
seeing so many dangers attend it? Especially since, 
hadst thou but patience to hear me, I could direct thee 
to the obtaining of what thou desirest, without the dan- 
gers that thou in this ^vay wilt run thyself into. Yea, 
and the remedy is at hand. Besides, I will add, that 
instead of these dangers, thou shalt meet with much 
safety, friendship, and content. 

Chr. Sir, I pray, open this secret to me. 

World. Why, in yonder village (the village is 
named Morality) there dwells a gentleman, whose name 
is Legality, a very judicious man, and a man of very 
good name, that has skill to help men oif with such 
burdens as thine is from their shoulders ; yea, to my 
knowledge, he hath done a great deal of good this 
way : aye, and besides, he hath skill to cure those that 
are somewhat crazed in their wits with their bur- 



* Such is the frame of the heart of a real penitent- 
f Mr, Worldly-wisemau does not like that men should be serious in read- 
ing the Biblet 



64 LEGALITY, AND THE VILLAGE MORALITY. 

dens.* To him, as I said, thou mayest go, and be help- 
ed presently. His house is not quite a mile from this 
place ; and if he should not be at home himself, he hath 
a pretty young man to his son, whose name is Civility, 
that can do it (to speak on) as well as the old gentle- 
man himself. There, I say, thou mayest be eased 
of thy burden : and if thou art not minded to go 
back to thy former habitation, as indeed I would not 
wish thee, thou mayest send for thy wife and chil- 
dren to thee to this village ; where there are houses 
now stand empty, one of which thou mayest have at 
reasonable rates : provision is there also cheap and 
good : and that which will make thy life more happy, 
is, to be sure, there thou shalt live by honest neighbours, 
in credit and good fashion. 

Now was Christian somewhat at a stand ; but pre- 
sently he concluded, If this be true which this gentle- 
man hath said, my wisest course is to take his advice ; 
and with that he thus further spake* 

Chr. Sir, which is my way to this honest man's 
house ? 

World. Do you see yonder high hill? 

Chr. Yes, very well. 

World. By that hill you must go, and the first 
house you come at is his. 

So Christian turned out of his way to go to Mr. 
Legality's house for help.f But, behold, when he 
was got now hai^d by the hill, it seemed so high, 
and also that side of it that was next the way-side 



* Mr. Worldly-wiseman prefers Morality to Christ the Strait Gate. This 
is the exact reasoning- of the flesh. Carnal reason ever opposes spiritual 
truth. The notion of justification by our own obedience to God's law, ever 
works in us, contrary to the law of justification by the obedience of Christ 
and living faith in his blood. Self-rig-hteousness is as contrary to the faith 
of Christ, as indulging the lusts of the flesh. 

f And a sad turn it proved to him ; for he turned from the work of Christ, 
for his salvation, to his own works and obedience : so did the Galatians ot 
old. Mark the consequence ; Christian is afraid that Mount Sinai, all the 
dreadful curses of the law, would fall on his bead. 



CHRISTIAN TU^RNS ASIDE. HIS ALARM. 65 

did hang so much over, that Christian was afraid 
to venture further, lest the hill should fall on his head : 
wherefore there he stood still, and wotted not what to 
do. Also his burden now seemed heavier to him than 
while he was in his way. There cume also fli'.shes of 
fire out of the hill, that made Christian afraid that he 
should be burned ;{a) here therefore he sweat and did 
quake for fear. And now he began to be sorry that he 
had taken Mr. Woridly-wiseman's counsel. And with 
that he saw Evangelist* coming to meet him ; at the 
sight also of whom he began to blush for shcane. So 
Evangelist drew nearer and nearer; and, coming up 
to him, he looked upon him with a severe and dreadiul 
countenance, and thus began to reason with Christu.n. 

What dost thou here. Christian? said he. At which 
words Christian knew not what to answer ; wherefore 
at present he stood speechless before him. Then 
said Evangelist further. Art thou not the man that 
I found crying without the walls of the city of Destruc- 
tion ? 

Chr. Yes, dear Sir, I am the man. 

Evan. Did not^I direct thee the way to the little 
Wicket-gate ? 

Yes, dear Sir, said Christian. 

Evan. How is it then thdt thou art so quickly turn- 
ed aside ? for thou art now out of the way. 

Chr. I met with a gentleman, as soon as I had got 
over the slough of Despond, who persuaded me that I 
might in the village before me find a man that could 
take off my burden. 

Evan. What was he? 

Chr. He looked like a gentleman,! and talked 



* Evan, :elist findcth Christian under -Mount Sinai, and looiceth severely 
upon him. See the effect of disobeying tiie Gospel 

-j- Beware of taking- mt-n by their looks Tliey may look as gentle as 
lambs, while tile poison of asps is under tueirtong-U'.s • whereby tJicy infect 
many souls with pernicious errors, turning- them from Chi ist and the n.-pe 
of justification and eternal life, througli him only, to look and rely upon 
Iheir own works, in whole or in part, for salvation. 

(a) Kxod. xix. 16—18. Heb. xii. 21, 

9 



66 CHRISTIAN IS MET BY EVANGELIST, 

much to me, and got me at last to yield ; so I came 
hither : but when I beheld this hill, and how it hangs 
over the way, I suddenly made a stand, lest it should 
fall on my head, 

Evan. What said that gentleman to you? 

Chr, He asked me if I had a family : and I told 
him. But, said I, I am so loaded with the burden 
that is on my back, that I cannot take pleasure in them 
as formerly. 

Evan. And w^hat said he then? 

Chr. He bid me with speed get rid of my burden ; 
and I told him it was ease that I sought. And, said I, 
I am therefore going to yonder gate to receive further 
directions how I may get to the place of deliverance, 
So he said that he would show me a better wa}^, and 
shorter, not so attended with difficulties as the way. Sir, 
that you set me in ; which way, said he, w^ll direct you 
to a gentleman's house that has skill to take off these 
burdens : so 1 believed him,* and turned out of that 
way into this, if haply I might be soon eased of m}^ 
burden. But when I came to this place, and beheld 
things as they are, I stopped for fear, as I said, of dan= 
ger : but now know not what to do. 

Then, said Evangelist, stand still a little that I may 
show thee the words of God. So he stood trembling. 
Then said Evangelist, ''See that ye refuse not him that 
speaketh : for if they escaped not who refused him that 
spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if w^e 
turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. "(«) 
He saidj moreover, *' Now the just shall live by faith ; 
but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no 
pleasure in him."(^) He also did thus apply them : 



* As the belief of truth lies at the foundation of the hope of eternal life, 
and is the cause of any one becoming- a pilgrim ; so tlie belief of a lie is the 
cause of any one's turninc;^ out of the way which leads to glory. 

(fl) Heb. xii. 25. (b) Heb. x. 38. 




CHRISTIAN MET BY EVANGELIST 
UNDER MOUNT SINAI. 



AND CONVINCED OF HIS ERROR. 67 

ThoU art the man that art runniiij^ into this misery : 
thou hast begun to^ reject the counsel of the Most High, 
and to draw back thy foot from the way of peace; even 
almost to the hazarding of thy perdition.^ 

Then Christian fell down at his feet as dead, crying, 
" Woe is me, for I am undone !^' At the sight of which 
Evangelist caught him by the right hand, saying, "All 
manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto 
men:" *' be not faithless, but believing." Then did 
Christian again a little revive, and stood up trembling, 
as at first, before Evangelist.f 

Then Evangelist proceeded, saying, Give more 
earnest heed to the things that I shall tell thee of. I 
will now show thee who it was that deluded thee, and 
who it was also to whom he sent thee. The man that 
met thee is one Worldly- wise man, and rightly is he so 
called ; partly because he savoureth only the doctrine 
of this world,(a) (therefore he always goes to the town 
of Morality to church,) and partly because he loveth 
that doctrine best, for it saveth him best from the 
cross :[b) and because he is of this carnal temper, 
therefore he seeketh to pervert my ways, though rights 
Now there are three things in this man's counsel that 
thou must utterly abhor : — his turning thee out of the 
way ; — his labouring to render the cross odious to 
thee ; — -and his setting thy feet in that way that leadeth 
unto the ministration of death, t 



* See the danger of turning' from tlie faith of Clirist, to trust in any de- 
gree to our own works for justification and eternal life. Beware of legal 
teachers, and of thy own legal spirit. 

f See the glory of gospel grace to sinners. See the amazing love of 
Christ in dying for sinners. O remember the price with which Christ ob- 
tained the pardon of your sins ; at nothing less than his own most precious 
blood ! Believe his wonderful love. Rejoice in his glorious salvation. Live 
in the love of him, in the hatred of your sins, and in humbleness of mind 
before him, 

t Gospel comfort cannot be enjoyed, till the soul is convinced of tlie evil, 
and rejects the doctrine of Legality, or trust in any dependance upon our 
own works for justification. This detestable heresy abounds greatly in thfiJ 
present day. 

(a) John iv. 5. {b) Gal. vi. IZ 



68 THE FALLACIES OF WORL13LY- WISEMAN DETECTED. 

First, thou must abhor his turning thee out of the 
way, yea, and thine own consenting thereto ; because 
this is to reject the counsel of God for the sake of the 
counsel of a xvorldly-wise man. The Lord says, 
" Strive to enter in at the strait gate" (the gate to which 
I send thee,) " for strait is the gate that leadeth unto 
life, and few there be that find it."(fl) From this little 
Wicket-gate, and from the way thereto, hath this 
wicked man turned thee, to the bringing of thee almost 
to destruction. Hate, therefore, his turning thee out of 
the way, and abhor thyself for hearkening to him. 

Secondly, thou must abhor his labouring to render 
the cross odious unto thee ; for thou art to '' prefer it 
before the treasures in E*gypt."(<^) Besides, the King 
of Glory hath told thee, that " he that will save his 
life shall lose it :" and, "• He that comes after me, and 
hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and chil- 
dren, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life 
also, cannot be my disciple. "(c) I say, therefore, for 
a man to labour to persuade thee that that shall be thy 
death, without which the truth hath said thou canst not 
have eternal life : this doctrine thou must abhor. 

Thirdly, thou must hate his setting of thy feet in 
the way that leadeth to tlie ministration of death. And 
for this thou must consider to whom he sent thee, and 
also how unable that person was to deliver thee from 
thy burden. 

He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name 
Legality, is " the son of the bond- woman which now 
is, and is in bondage with her children ;"(r/) and is, in 
a mystery, this mount Sinai which thou hast feared will 
fail on thy head. Now if she with her children are in 
bondage, how canst thou expect by them to be made 
free ? This Legality, therefore, is not able to set thee 
free from thy burden. No man was as yet ever rid of 



(a) Luke xiU. 24. Matt, vii 13, 14. {h) Heb. xi, 25, 26. 

(t) Matt. X. 37—j9. Mark viU. 34, 35. Luke xiv. 26, 27. John xii. 25; 

(c/) Gal. iv. 2i--27. 



'rHE PRETENSIONS OF LEGALITY CONFUTED. ii9 

his burden by him ; no, nor ever is Hke to be. " Ye 
cannot be justified by the works of the Vdw ; for by the 
deeds of the law no man hving" can be rid of his bur- 
den : therefore, Mr. Worldly -wiscman is a liar, and Mn 
Legality a cheat : and for his son Civility, notwithstand- 
ing his simpering looks, he is but a hypocrite, and can- 
not help thee. Believe me, there is nothing in all this 
noise that thou hast heard of these sottish men, but a 
design to beguile thee of thy salvation, by turning thee 
from the way in which I had set thee.* After this 
Evangelist called aloud to the heavens for confirmation 
of what he had said ; and with that there came words 
and fire out of the mountain under which poor Chris- 
tian stood, that made the hair of his flesh stand up. 
The words were thus pronounced : " As many as are of 
the works of the law are under the curse : for it is writ- 
ten. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all 
things which are written in the book of the law to do 

thern."t(«) 

Now Christian looked for nothing but death, and be- 
gan to cry out lamentably ; even cursing the time in 
which he met with Mr. Worldly-wiseman ; still calling 
himself a thousand fools for hearkening to his counsel. 
He also was greatly ashamed to think that this gentle- 
man's arguments, flowing only from the flesh, should 
hjve the prevalency with him as to cause him to for- 
sake the right way. This done, he applied himself 
again to Evangelist in words and sense as follow : 



* The gospel pays no respect to demure looks, and a sanctified face ; but 
pronounces -ucli cheats, hypocrites, and bep^uiiers, who turn souls from the 
cross of Christ, and tlie way of salvation by him, to trust in any wise to theii* 
own worKS for jvistific;ai;>n and salvation. 

"t Leg"ality is as j^reat an enemy to tlie cross of Christ, as Licentiousness : 
for it keeps the soul from coming- to, believing in, and trusting- wholly to 
the blood of Christ, for ])ardon, and the righteousness of Christ for justifica- 
tion ; so that it ke(.ps 1 lie soul in bondage, and swells ti^e mind with pride, 
while Licentiousness brings a scandal on the cross. 

' (a) Gal. iii. 10. 



70 CHRISTIAN ENCOURAGED BY EVANGELIST- 

Sir,-^- what think you ? Is there any hope ? Mav I 
now go back, and go up to the Wicket-gate ? Shall I 
not be abandoned for this, and sent back from thence 
ashamed? I am sorry I have hearkened to this man's 
counsel ; but may my sin be forgiven ? 

Then said Evangelist to him, Thy sin is very great, 
for by it thou hast committed two evils ; thou hast 
forsaken the way that is good, to tread in forbidden 
paths : yet will the man at the gate receive thee, for 
he has good will for men ; only, said he, take heed that 
thou turn not aside again, '' lest thou perish from the 
way when his wrath is kindled but a little. "{«) — Then 
did Christian address himself to go back, and Evange* 
list, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile and 
bid him God speed. f So he went on with haste, nei- 
ther spake he to any man by the way ; nor if any asked 
him would he vouchsafe them an answer. He went 
like one that was all the while treading on forbidden 
ground, and could by no means think himself safe, till 
again he was got into the way % which he left to follow 
Mr. Worldly- Wiseman's counsel. 



* Christian inquires if he may yet he happy, t^eg-al hopes will bring- on 
distress of soul, and despondency of spirit, as well as outward sins : there i& 
no hope of a sinner's being comforted by the cross of Christ, till he is made 
sensible of this. 

•\ Nothing but the gospel of Christ can direct our steps in the right way, 
and bring peace and comfort to our souls. It salutes us with a cheering 
smile, a kiss of peace, and a blessing of consolation ; and hence it wings our 
peace to Christ and holiness. 

% The faithful minister must warn young converts not to turn aside ; nor 
can any soul ever find confidence or comfort, till they are conscious ef hav- 
injj regained the way they had forsaken. 

(a) PsaL ii. 1!?- 



HE IS ADMITTED AT THE WICKET- GATE. 71 



CHAPTER IV. 

CHRISTIAN ARRIVES AT THE WICKET-GATE, AVHERE HE 
KNOCKS, AND IS KINDLY RECEIVED. 

So in process of time Christian got up to the gate. 
Now over the gate there was written, '' Knock, and it 
shall be opened unto you. "(a) 

He knocked therefore more than once or twice, 
saying — 



^ 



*' May I now enter here ? Will he within 

Open to sorry me, though I have been 

An undeserving rebel ! Then shall I 

Not fail to sing his lasting praise on high."(«) 

At last there came a grave person to the g^te, named 
Good- will, who asked him who was there ? and whence 
he came ? and what he would have ? 

Chr. Here is a poor burdened sinner, I come from 
the city of Destruction, but am going to Mount Zion, 
that I may be delivered from the wrath to come. I 
would, therefore, Sir, since I am informed that by this 
gate is the way thither, know if you are willing to let 
me in. 

I am willing with all my heart,! said he. And 
with that he opened the gate. 

So when Christian was stepping in, the other gave 
him a pull. J Then said Christian, What means that? 
The other told him, " A little distance from this gate 



* This is praying and pleading in faith with God for mercy and forgive- 
ness of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

f The gate will be open to broken-hearted sinners. Here behold the 
love of Jesus, in freely and heartily i-eceiving every poor sinner who comes 
unto him. No matter how vile they have been nor what tilings they have 
committed ; he loves thena freely and receives them graciously. For he 
has nothing but good-will towards men. Luke ii. 14. 

t Every saved sinner is a brand plucked out of the fire by the loving arm 
of Christ, Zech. iii. 2. 

(rt) Matt. vii. 7, 8, 



72 GOOD-WILL DISCOURSES WITH CHRISTIAN. 

there is erected a strong castle, of which Beelzebub is 
the captain; from thence both he and they that are with 
him shoot arrows at those that come up to this gate, if 
haply they may die before they can enter in." 

Then said Christian, I rejoice and tremble. So 
when he was got in, the man of the gate asked him 
who directed him thither. 

Chr. Evangelist bid me come hither and knock, as 
I did ; and he said that you. Sir, would tell me what I 
must do. 

Good. *' An open door is before thee, and no man 
can shut it." 

Chr. Now I begin to reap the benefits of my ha- 
zards. 

Good. But how is it that you come alone f 

Chr. Because none of my neighbours saw their 
danger, as I saw mine. 

Good. Did any of them know of your coming? 

Chr. Yes, my wife and children saw me at the first, 
and called after me to turn again : also some of my 
neighbours stood crying and calling after me to return; 
but I put my fingers in my ears and so came on my 
way. 

Good. But did none of them follow you, to per- 
suade you to go back ? 

Chr. Yes, both Obstinate and Pliable: but when 
they sa\v that they could not prevail. Obstinate went 
railing back, but Pliable came with me a little way. 

Good. But why did he not come through ? 

Chr. We indeed came both together until we came 
to the slough of Despond, into the which we also sud- 
denly fell. And then was my neighbour Pliable dis- 
couraged, and would not adventure further.^ Where- 
fore getting out again on that side next to his own 
house, he told me I should possess the brave country 
alone for him : so he went his way, and I came 77iine ; 
he after Obstinate, and I to this gate. 

' * A man may h.ive company when he sets out for lieaven, and yet go 
thither alone. " Many be called, but i<^'N chosen." Matt. xx. 16. 



GOOD-WILL CONTINUES HIS DISCOURSE* 73 

Then said Good- will, Alas, poor man ! is the celes- 
tial glory of so small esteem with him, that he counteth 
it not worth running the hazard of a few difficulties to 
obtain it ? 

Truly, said Christian, I have said the truth of Plia- 
ble ; and if I should also say all the truth of myself, it 
will appear there is no difference betwixt him and my- 
self. It is true he went back to his own house, but I 
also turned aside to go into the way of death, being 
persuaded thereto by the carnal argument of one Mr. 
Worldly- wiseman. * 

Good. Oh ! did he light upon you ? What, he would 
have had you have sought for ease at the hands of Mr. 
Legality ! they are both of them very cheats. But did 
you take his counsel ? 

Chr. Yes, as flir as I durst. I went to find out Mr. 
Legality, until I thought that the mountain that stands 
by his house would have fallen upon my head ; where- 
fore there I was forced to stop.f 

Good. That mountain has been the death of many, 
and will be the death of many more. It is well you 
escaped being dashed in pieces by it. 

Chr. Why, truly, I do not know what had become 
of me there, had not Evangelist happily met me again 
as I was musing in the midst of my dumps : but it was 
God's mercy that he came to me again, for else I had 
never come hither. But now I am come, such a one 
as I am, more fit indeed for death by that mountain 5 
than thus to stand talking with my Lord. But, oh I 



* Wliere there is true grace in the heart, it will take shame to itself, and 
give all the g'lory to God's sovereign grace, for any difference there is be- 
tween us and others. Free grace destroys pride, and lays the sinner low, 
while it exalts Christ, and causes the believer to triumph in his righteous- 
ness and salvation. 

f Though Jesus knows what is in man, and alT his ways, yet he will 
bring the soul to confession unto him. See the loving heart of Christ to 
sinners, and the free communications he admits them to with himself Oh! 

ye his people, pour cut your heart before him : God is a i'efuge for us. 

Psal. ixii. 8. 

10 



74 CHRISTIAN IiNSTRUCTED IN THE WAY. 

what a fiivour is this to me, that yet I am admitted en- 
trance here.* 

Good. We make no objections against any, notwith- 
standing all that they have done before they come 
hither. " They in no wise are cast out ;"(«) and there- 
fore, good Christian, come a little way with me, and I 
will teach thee about the way thou must go. Look be* 
fore thee ; dost thou see this narrow way ? that is the 
way thou must go. It w^as cast up by the patriarchs, 
prophets, Christ, and his apostles, and it is as straight 
as a rule can make it : this is the way thou must go. 

But, said Christian, t are there no turnings nor wind- 
ings, by which a stranger may lose his way ? 

Good. Yes, there are many ways butt down upon 
this, and they are crooked and wide : but thus thou 
must distinguish the right from the wrong, the right 
only being J straight and narrow. (/^) 



* It is a sure sign of a genuine worlc of grace, when the heart ascribes 
all to grace. Here is no ascribing any thing to l)is own wisdom or power : 
but his escape from destruction, and being yet in the way of salvation, are 
wholly resolved into the grace of the gospel, the mercy of God, and in his 
free favour, and almighty power. It is sweet to converse with Jesus, of 
his free grace to wretched and unworthy sinners. Do not you lind it so ? 

■f Christian is afraid of losing his way ; a blessed sign of a gracious 
heart, when it possesses godly jealousy. 

t Christian, being admitted at the strait gate, is directed in the narrow way. 
In the broad road every man may choose a path suited to his inclinations, 
shift about to avoid difficulties, or accommodate himself to circumstances ; 
ajid he will be sure of company agreeably to his taste. But Christians must 
follow one another, in the iiarrovo way along the same track, surmounting 
difficulties, facing enemies, and bearing hardships, without any room to evade 
them : nor is any indulgence given to different tastes, habits, or propensi- 
ties. It is therefore a straitened, or, as some render the word, an afflicted 
x-'ay ; being indeed an habitual course of repentance, faith, love, self-denial, 
patience ; in a word, a full conformity to the will of God, according to the 
scriptures. Christ himself is the way, by which we come to the Father ; 
and by living faith which works by love, we are ** set in the way of his 
steps." This path is also straight, as opposed to the crooked ways of men ; 
for it consists in an uniform regard to piety, integrity, sincerity, and kind- 
ness, at a distance from all the hypocrisies, frauds, and artifices, by which 
ungodly men wind about to avoid detection, keep up their credit, deceive 
Qthers, or impose on themselves. The question proposed by Christian im< 

(rt) John vi. 37. (b) Matt. vii. 13, 14. 



CHRISTIAN INSTRtJCTED IN THE WAY. 75 

Then I saw in my dream that Christian asked him 
further, if he could not help him off with the burden 
that was upon his back ; for as yet he had not got rid 
thereof, nor could he by any means get it oif without 
help. 

He told him, As to thy burden, be content to bear 
it until thou comest to the place of deliverance y^^ for 
there it will fall from thy back of itself. 

Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and to 
address himself to his journey. So the other told him 
that by that he was gone some distance from the gate 
he would come at the house of the Interpreter, at 
whose door he should knock, and he would show him 
excellent things. Then Christian took his leave of his 
friend, and he again bid him God speed. 



plies that believers are more afraid of missing' the way than of encounter- 
ing hai-dships in it : and Good-will's answer, that many ways butted down on 
it, or opened into it, in various directions, shows, that the careless and self- 
willed are extremely liable to be deceived: but it follows that all these 
ways are crooked and ivide ; they turn aside from the direct line of living' 
faith and holy obedience, and are more soothing, indulgent, and pleasing to 
corrupt nature, than the patli of life : which lies straight forward, and is 
every where contrary to the bias of the carnal mind. 

* There is no deliverance from the guilt and burden of sin, but by the 
deatli of Christ. Here observe, that though a sinner, at his fu'st coming to 
Christ, find some comfort and encouragement, yet he may not for some 
time have a clear sense of pardon and assurance of the forgiveness of his 
sins, but he may still feel the burden of them. But by futh in Jesus he 
shall he adopted into the family of heaven. 



76 THE interpreter's house. 



CHAPTER T. 



eHRIgTIAN DELIGHTFULLY ENTERTAINED AT THE 
interpreter's HOUSE. 

Then christian went on till he came to the house 
of the Interpreter,* where he knocked over and over :, 
at last one came to the door, and asked who was there ? 

Chr. Sir, here is a traveller, who was bid by an ac- 
quaintance of the good man of this house to call here 
for my profit ; I would therefore speak with the master 
of the house. So he called for the master of the house, 
who after a little time came to Christian, and asked him 
what he would liave ? 

Sir, said Christian, I am a man that am come from 
the city of Destruction, and am going to the mount 
Zion ; and I was told by the man that stands at the gate 
at the head of this way, that if I called here you would 
show me excellent things, such as wquld be a help to 
me in my journey c 

Then said the Interpreter, Come in ; I will show 
thee that which will be profitable to thee.f So he com- 
manded his man J to light a candle, and bid Christian 
follow him: so he had him into a private room, and bid 
his man open a door ; the which when he had done. 
Christian saw the picture of a very grave person hang 
up against the wall ; and this was the fashion of it : 
^' it4iad eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in 
its hand, the law of truth w^as written upon its lips, the 



* Christian comes to the house of the Interpreter: which means the 
Lord the Spirit, the teacher of his people. — The Interpreter is an embleir\ 
of the divine teaching of the Holy Spirit, according to the Scripture, by 
means of reading-, hearing-, praying and meditating, accompanied by daily 
experience and observation. Believers depend on this teaching, and are 
not satisfied with human instruction, but look to the fountain of wisdom^ 
that they may be delivered from prejudice, preserved fiom error, and ena-- 
bled to profit by the ministry of the word. 

f O how loving, how condescending is the Spirit of God to poor misera- 
ble sinners ! 

t Illumination is here signified. 



THE PICTURE OF THE PILGRIM's GUIDE. 77 

world was behind its back ; it stood as if it pleaded with 
men, and a crown of gold did hang over its head." 

Then said Christian, What mcancth this ? 

Inter p. The man whose picture this is, is one of a 
thousand; he can beget children, («) travail in birth with 
children, (^) and nurse them himself when they are 
born. And whereas thou seest him with his eyes lifted 
up to heaven, the best of books in his hmid, and the laAv 
of truth written on his lips ; it is to show thee that his 
work is to know and unfold dark things to sinners ; even 
as also thou seest him stand as if he pleaded with men : 
and whereas thou seest the v/orid as cast behind him, 
and that a crown hangs over his head ; that is to show 
thee, that slighting and despising the things that are pre- 
sent, for the love that he hath to his Master's service, 
he is sure in the world that comes next to have glory 
for his reward. Now, said the Interpreter, I have 
shewed thee this picture first, because the man whose 
picture this is, is the only man whom the Lord of the 
place whither thou art going hath authorized to be thy 
guide, in all difficult places thou mayest meet with in 
riie way : wherefore take good heed to what I have 
shewed thee, and bear well in thy mind wiiat thou hast 
seen ; lest in thy journey thou meet w ith some that pre- 
tend to lead thee right, but their w^av goes down to 
death. ^- 

Then he took him bv the hand, and led him into a 
very large parlour that was full of dust, because never 



* This is a true picture of a gospel minister: one whom the Lord the 
Spirit has called and qualified for preaching the everlasting- gospel, lie is one 
wlio despises the world, is dead to its pleasures and joys : his chief aim is to 
exalt and glorify the Lord Jesus, his atoning blood: jusiifying righteousness, 
and finishing salvation ; and his greatest glory is to bring sinners to Christ, 
to point him out as the one way to them, and to edify and build up saints In 
him. But there are many who profess to do this, yet turn poor sinners out 
of the way, and point them to a righteousness of their own for justification, 
in whole or in part. Of these tlie Spirit teaches us to beware : ihe former, 
he leads and directs souls to love and esteem him highly for their labours and 
faith in the Lord, and zeal for his honour and glory, and for the salvation of 
souls. Take heed v.iiat you hear. Mark iv. 24. 

{b) I Cor. iv. 1.5. (fl) Gal. iv. 10. 



78 THE DUSTY PARLOUR SPRINKLED AND CLEANSED.' 

swept ; the which, after he had reviewed a Httle while, 
the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now when he 
began to sw^eep, the dust began so abundantly to fly- 
about, that Christian had almost therewith been choak- 
ed. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that stood 
b}', Bring hither water, and sprinkle the room ; the 
which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed 
with pleasure. 

Then said Christian, What means this ? 

The Intei-preter answered. This parlour is the heart 
of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace 
of the gospel : the dust is his original sin and inward 
corruptions, that have defiled the whole man. He that 
began to SAveep at first, is the law ; but she that brought 
water and did sprinkle it, is the gospel. Now whereas 
thou sav/est that, so soon as the first began to sweep, 
the dust did so fly about, that the room by him could 
not be cleansed, but that thou wast almost choaked 
therewith ; this is to show thee, that the law, instead of 
cleansing the heart, by its working, from sin, doth re- 
vive, put strength into, and increase it in the soul, even 
as it doth discover and forbid it ; for it doth not give 
pov/er to subdue it. (a) 

Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room 
with water, upon Avhich it was cleansed with pleasure : 
this is to show thee, that v/hen the gospel comes in the 
sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, 
I say, even as thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by 
sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and 
subdued, and the soul made clean through the faith of 
it, and consequently fi.t for the King of glory to inha- 
bit.-'^\7;) 



* Now judge by tills, whether you are under the law, or the gospel. 
Have you ever found in yourself what is here described ? 1st. Of the Uiw, 
liauc you ever felt your lusts and corruptions irritated, and sin made to 
abound in you, as to your perception and feeling, by the commandment 
working in }0u all manner of concupiscence ? for without the law sin was 

. (a) Horn. V. ::0. ^i^. 7—11. 1 Cor. xv. 5G. 
{h) JoliK xlv. 21—23. XV. 3. Acts xv. 9. Rom. xvi. 25, 26. Eph. v. 2ft 



TASSION AND PATIENCE. /^ 

I saw, moreover, iii my dream, that the Interpreter 
took him by the hand, and had him into a little room 
where sat two httle children, each one in his chair. 
The name of the eldest was Passion, and the name of 
the other Patience. Passion seemed to be much dis- 
contented, but Patience ^vas very quiet. Then Chris- 
tian asked. What is the reason of the discontent of 
Passion ? The Interpreter answered, The governor of 
them would have him stay for his best things till the 
beginning of die next year ; but he will have all now. 
But Patience is v/illing to wait. 

Then I saw that one came to Passion and brought 
him a bag of treasure, and poured it down at his feet : 
the which he took up and rejoiced therein, and withal 
laughed Patience to scorn. But I beheld but a while, 
and he had lavished all away, and had nothing left him 
but rags. 

Then said Christian to the Interpreter, Expound this 
matter more fully to me. 

So he said. These two lads are figures : Passion, of 
the men of this world ; and Patience, of the men of 
that which is to come. For as here thou seest Passion 
will have all now this year, that is to say, in this world : 
so are the men of this world, they must have all their 
good things now, they cannot stay till next year ; that 
is, until the next world, for their portion of good. That 
proverb, *' A bird in the hand is worth two in the 
bush," is of more authority with them than are all the 
divine testimonies of the good of the world to come. 
But as thou sawest that he had quickly lavished all 



dead, Rom. vii. 8. Has the application of the law to your conscience 
made sin to revive in you, so as tliat you died to all your former hopes of 
being justified by your obedience to the law? If not, you are yet dead in sin, 
and cleave to legal hopes and vain confidence. But if through the law 
you become dead to the law, has the gospel come to you with its reviving, 
comforting, sanctifying influence? Has it made Christ's blood and righteous- 
ness precious to your soul, and given you the victory of faith over the law, 
sjn^ and death, if &o, go on yoiu' way rejoicing. 



80 THE EMBLEM EXPLAINED. 

away, and had presently left him nothing but rags ; so 
will it be with all such men at the end of this world. ^ 

Then said Christian, Now^ I see that Patience has 
the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts :— be- 
cause he stays for the best things : — and also because 
he will have the glory of his, when the other has no- 
tliing but rags. 

Inter p. Nay, you may add another, to wit, — the 
glory of the next world w^iil never wear out : but these 
are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so 
much reason to laugh at Patience because he had his 
good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Pas- 
sion because he had his best things last ; for Jii^st must 
give place to lasty because last must have its time to 
come ; but last gives place to nothing, for there is not 
another to succeed : he, therefore, that hath his portion 
first must needs have a time to spend it ; but he that 
has his portion last must have it lastingly : therefore it 
is said of Dives, '' In thy life -time thou receivedst thy 
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but 
nov/ he is comforted, and thou art tormented, "(a) 

Chr. Then I perceive it is not best to covet things 
that are now, but to wait for things, to come. 

Inter p. You say truth : "For the things that are 
seen are temporal ; but the things that are not seen are 
eternal ;^\b) but, though this be so, yet, since things 
present and our fleshly appetite are such near neigh- 
bours one to another ; and again, because things to 
come and carnal sense are such strangers one to ano- 
ther ; therefore it is that the first of these so suddenly 



* Carnal men seek nothing more than the gratification of their senses; 
their end will be tlie loss of all things, and the destruction of their own 
souls. E>it the just live by faith on Jesus, and in hope of joys to come; 
th.eir end will be glorious ; for they shall receive the end of tlieir faith, the 
salvatioii of their souls, and the everlasting enjoyment of Christ in glory. 

(a) Luke xvi. 19—31. {b) 2 Cor. iv. 18. 



THE FIRE SECRETLY KEPT PROM BEING aUENCHED. 81 

fall into amity, and that distance is so continually be- 
tween the second. *^ 

Then I saw in my dream that the Interpreter took 
Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where 
was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by 
it always casting much water upon it to quench it ; yet 
did the fire burn his-her and hotter. 

o 

Then said Christian, What means this ? 

The Interpreter answered, This fire is the work of 
grace that is wrought in the heart ; he that casts water 
upon it to extinguish and put it out, is the Devil : but 
in that thou seest the fire notwithstandino: burn his-her 
and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that. So 
he had him about to the backside of the wall, where 
he saw a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of which 
he did also continually cast, but secretly, into the fire. 

Then said Christian, What means this ? 

The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who con- 
tinually with the oil of his grace maintains the work al= 
ready begun in the heart : by the means of which, not- 
withstanding what the devil can do, the souls of hi& 
people prove gracious still. (a) And in that thou saw- 
est that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the 
fire ; this is to teach thee that it is hard for the tempt- 
ed to see how this work of grace is maintained in the 
soul.f 



* Here see the preclousness and g-lory of faitli ; it causeth the soul io 
hiake a proper estimate, and set a due value on things : it pierceth through 
the objects of time and sense, and fixes upon glory and etei-nity. This is 
the proper character of every heaven-born soul ; the just shall live by faith, 
Heb. ii 4. This is a life of heaven upon earth. 

f It is plain Mr. Bunyan did not ascribe that glory to the work and power 
of the creature, which is due solely to the Lord, who is the Alpha and 
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginner, Carrier on, and Fhiisher of 
liis work in sinners' hearts ; and never can his work be extinguished there, 
till Satan's Water is more powerful to quench, than Christ's oil and grace 
are to keep the fire burning — The instruction especially inculcated by this 
emblem is, an entire reliance on the secret but powerful influence of di^'ine 
grace, to maintain and carry on the sanctifying work Uiat has been begun in 
the soul. 

(a) 2 Cor. xii. 9. 
11 



82 THE V'ALI AIN'T x\IAN S CONFLICT AND VICTORY. 

I saw also, that the Interpreter took him again b} 
the hand, and led him into a pleasant place, where was 
builded a stately palace, beautiful to behold : at the 
sight of which Christian was greatly delighted ; he 
saw also upon the top thereof certain persons walkings 
^vho were clothed all in gold. 

Then said Christian, May we go in thither ? 

Then the Interpreter took him, and led him up to- 
wards the door of the palace ; and behold, at the door 
stood a great company of men, as desirous to go in, 
but durst not. There also sat a man at a little dis- 
tance from the door, at a table side, with a book and 
his inkhom before him, to take the name of him that 
should enter therein ; he saw also that in the door- way 
stood many men in armour to keep it, being resolved 
to do t© the men that would enter what hurt and mis- 
chief they could. Now was Christian somewhat in 
amaze : at last, when every man started back for fear 
of the armed men. Christian saw a man of a very stout 
countenance come up to the man that sat there to write, 
saying, '^ Set down my name. Sir ;'* the which when 
lie had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put 
an helmet upon his head, and rush toward the door up- 
on the armed men, who laid upon him with deadly 
force ; but the man was not at all discouraged, but fell 
to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So after he had* 
received and given many wounds to those that attempt- 
ed to keep him out, he cut his way through them all, 
and pressed forward into the palace ; at which there 
was a pleasant voice heard from those that were within, 
even of those that walked upon the top of the palace, 
saying, 



*< Come in, come in ; 

Eternal glory thou shalt win." 



* We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of pod. 
Acts. xiv. 22. 



^- 



THE MAN IN THE IRON CAGE. 83 

So he went in, and was clothed with such garments as 
they. Then Christian smiled, and said, I think verily 
I know the meaning of this.* 

Now, said Christian, let me go hence. Nay, stay, 
said the Interpreter, till I have showed thee a little 
more, and after that thou shalt go on thy way. So he 
took him by the hand again, and led him into a verj- 
dark room, where there sat a man in an iron cage. 

Now the man to look on, seemed very sad. He sat 
with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands 
folded together, and he sighed as if he would break his 
heart. Then said Christian, What means this ? At 
which the Interpreter bid him talk with the man.f 

Then said Christian to the man, What art thou ? The 
man answered, I am what I was not once. 

Chr. What wert thou once ? 

The man said,J I was once a fair and flourishing 
professor, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of 
others : I once was, as I thougl t, fair for the celestial 
city,(c) and had then even joy .it the thoughts that I 
should get thither. § 

Chr. Well, but what art thou now ? 



* Such is the spirit and disposition of a soul who is determined to win 
Christ, and to enjoy the king-dom of glory. In spite of all opposition he re- 
sohitely forces his way, and presses towards the mark for the prize of his 
high calling of God in Jesus Christ. Phil, iii. 14 He is not content with 
a few lazy wishes, or languid hopes; for the kingdom of heaven sufTercth 
violence, and the violent take it by force. Mat. xi. 12. 

•j- The Holy Spirit would have us take w^arning by the sad examples of 
others. Hence he sets before us in the scripture, the dreadful things which 
have fallen professors, that we may see our danger, be humble, and watchful, 
and pray to the Lord to keep us from falling aM'ay. 

t Most dreadful change ! Think of it with trembling. Thou stande&t by 
faith ; be not high-minded, but fear. 

§ Soaring professors, beware. See how far this man went ; see what 
he thought of himself; see wljat others thought of him ; yea, he felt great 
joy in himself at the thoughts of getting to heaven ; but yet through 
unfaithfulness despair seized on him. *' Let us watch and be sober."-* 
1 Thess. V. 6. 

(a) Luke viii. 13. 



84 CHRISTIAN INTERROGATES HIM. 

Man. I am now a man of despair, and am shut up 
in it as in this iron cage. I cannot get out ; O now I 
cannot."* 

Chr. But how earnest thou in this condition ? 

Man. I left off to watch and be sober; I laid the 
reins upon the neck of my lusts ; I sinned against the 
light of the word, and the goodness of God : I have 
grieved the Spirit, and he is gone ; I tempted the Devil, 
and he is to come to me ; I have provoked God to an- 
ger, and he has left me ; I have so hardened my heart, 
that I cannot repent, f 

Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But is there 
no hope for such a man as this ? Ask him, said the In- 
terpreter. 

Then said Christian, Is there no hope but you must 
be kept in the iron cage of despair ? 

Man. No, none at all. 

Chr. Why? the Son of the Blessed is very piti- 
ful. 

Man. I have crucified him to myself afresh ; I have 
despised his person, I have despised his righteousness, 
I have counted his blood an unholy thing. I have done 
despite to the Spirit of grace \[a) therefore I have shut 
myself out of all the promises, and there now remains 
to me nothing but threatenings, dreadful threatenings, 
fearful threatenings, of certain judgment and fiery indig- 
nation, which shall devour me as an adversary 4 



* A more dreadful state on this side hell cannot be. 

f An awful warning- to piofessors. O take heed of trifling- with the God 
of truth, and tlie truths of God! he is a jealous God! jealous of his honour 
and glory Yea, our God is a consuming fire. Heb. xii. 29. 

-';: It is exceeding difficult to draw the line here, so as not to encourage in 
sin, or not discourage broken-hearted sinners from entertaining hope in 
Christ- ]Many have written the same bitter things against themselves as 
here, but to wliom they have in no-wise belonged. A sight of sin, a sense 
of sin, and sorrow for sin, with a desire to be saved by Jesus from all sin, 
as well i-s from wrath, do really bespeak the workings of the grace of Christ 
in the heart. 

(a) Luke xix. 14. Heb. vi. 4—6. x. 28, 29. 



A DREAM CONCERNING THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. 85 

Chr. For what did you bring yourself into this con- 
dition ? 

Man. For the hists, pleasures, and profits of this 
world ; in the enjoyment of which I did then j^romisc 
myself much delight : but now every one of those 
things also bite me and gnaw me like a burning M^orm. 

Chr. But canst thou not repent and turn ? 

Man. God hath denied me repentance. His word 
gives me no encouragement to believe : yea, himself 
hath shut me up in this iron cage ; nor can all the mc;i 
in the world let me out. O eternity! eternity! how 
shall I grapple with the misery that 1 must meet with 
in eternity ? 

Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this 
man's misery be remembered by thee, and be an e^ er- 
lasting caution to thee. 

Well, said Christian, this is fearful! God help me to 
watch and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the 
cause of this man's misery.* Sir, is it not time for 
me to go on my way now ?[ 

Inter p. Tarry, till I shall show thee one thing 
more, and then thou shalt go on thy way. 

So he took Christian by the hand again, and led him 
into a chamber where there was one rising out of bed ; 
and as he put on his raiment he shook and trembled. 
Then said Christian, Why doth this man thus tremble? 
The Interpreter then bid him tell to Christian the rea- 
son of his so doing. So he began and said, This night 
as I was in my sleep I dreamed, and, behold the hea- 
vens grew exceeding black : also it thundered and 
lightened in most fearful wise, that it put me into an 
agony; so I looked up in my dream, and saw the 



* Reader, thou hast constant need to put up this prayer for thyself Tliou 
art in a body of sin, hast a most deceitful and desperately wicked heart, and 
art exposed to the world's snares, and sataii's devices. 

t Why in such haste, Christian ? Poor soul, lie hud yet j^ot the burden of 
liis sins upon his back ; this urged his speed. He war.ted to g-et to the cross, 
TO be delivered of his burden ; but the Spirit had many thing's to shew him 
first, v/hich v.ould be profitable to him hereafter. ** He who believeth shall 
jiot make haste." Isaiah :ixviii. 16, 



S6 THE DREAM CONTINUED. 

clouds rack at an unusual rate ; upon which I heard a 
great sound of a trumpet, and saw also a man sit upon 
a cloud, attended with the thousands of heaven : they 
were all in flaming fire, also the heavens were on a 
burning flame. I heard then a voice saying, *' Arise 
ye dead, and come to judgment;" and with that the 
rocks rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were 
therein came forth: (a) some of them were exceeding 
giad, and looked upwards : and some sought to hide 
themselves under the mountains :(/^) then I saw the 
man that sat upon the cloud open the book and bid the 
world draw near. Yet there was, by reason of a fierce 
flame which issued out and came before him, a conve- 
nient distance betwixt him and them, as betwixt the 
judge and the prisoners at the bar.(t^) I heard it also 
proclaimed to them that attended on the man that sat 
on the cloud, " Gather together the tares, the chaff, 
and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake :" 
and with that the bottomless pit opened just where- 
about I stood ; out of the mouth of which there came 
in an abundant manner, smoke, and coals of fire, with 
hideous noises. It was also said to the same persons, 
*' Gather my wheat into the garner. "(c?) And with 
that I saw many catched up and carried away into the 
clouds,((?) but I was left behind. I also sought to hide 
myself, but I could not, for the man that sat upon the 
cloud still kept his eye upon me : my sins also came 
in my mind, and my conscience did accuse me on 
every side.{y) Upon this I awaked from my sleep. 

Chr. But what was it that made you so afraid of 
this sight ? 

Man. Why I thought that the day of judgment 
was come, and that I was not ready for it ; but this 



(a) John V. 28, 29. 1 Cor. xv. 51—58. 2 Thess. i. 7—10. Jude 14, 15. 

Rev. XX 11—15. (b) Ps. 1 1—3. 22. Isa. xxvi. 20, 21 Mic. vii 16, 17. 

(c) Dan. vii. 9, 10. Mai. iii 2, 3. (d) Mai. iv. 1. Mat. iii 12 xiii. 30. 

lAike iii. 17. (e) i Thes.s, iv, 13—18. (/) Rom. ii. 14, 15. 



THE DREAM CONTINUED. 87 

frighted me most, that the angels gathered up seve- 
ral and left me behind; also the pit of hell opened 
her mouth just where I stood. My conscience too 
afflicted me ;^ and, as I thought, the Judge had always 
liis eye upon me, sho^ving indignation in his counte- 
nance. 

Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Hast thou 
considered all these things ? 

Chr. Yes ; and they put me in hope and fear.f 
Inter p. Well, keep all things so in thy mind, that 
they may be as a goad in thy sides, to prick thee for- 
ward in the way thou must go. Then Christian began 
to gird up his loins, and to address himself to his jour- 
ney. Then said the Interpreter, The Comforter be al- 
ways with thee, good Christian, to guide thee in the 
way that leads to the city. So Christian went on his 
way, saying — 

" Here I have seen things rare and profitable ; 

Things pleasant, dreadful, things to make me stable 
In what I have begun to take in hand : 
Then let me think on them, and understand 
Wherefore they shovv'd me were ; and let me be 
Thankful, O good Interpreter, to thee." 



* Natural men's consciences are often alarmed and terrified, when there 
are no spiritual convictions ? but such fears and terrors soon wear away, 
and do not generally issue in conversion. 

f Where there is a gospel hope, there will be a godly fear; both are ne- 
cessary ; both are the graces of the Holy Spirit. Fear makes us cautious ; 
Kope animates us. 



88 CHRISTIAjN's burden falls off at the CRObto^ 

CHAPTER VI. 

CHRISTIAN LOSES HIS BURDEN AT THE CROSS. 

Now I saw in my dream, that the highway, up 
which Christian w^as to go, was fenced on either side 
with a wall, and that wall was called Salvation. (c) 
Up this way therefore did burthened Christian run, 
but not without great difficulty, because of the load on 
his back.^ 

He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascend- 
ing, and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little be- 
low, in the bottom, a Sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, 
that just as Christian came up with the cross, his bur- 
den loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off 
his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to 
do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it 
fell in, and I saw it no more.f 

Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said 
with a merry heart, " He hath given me rest by his 
sorrow, and life by his death." Then he stood still 
awhile to look and wonder ; for it was very surprising 
to him, that the sight of the cross should thus ease 
him of his burden. He looked, therefore, and looked 
again, even till the springs that were in his head sent 
the waters down his cheeks. (^) Now, as he stood look- 
ing and weeping, behold three shining ones came to 



* .Our uplnll clifTiculties is the way to the greatest comforts. Burdens 
are more felt when comforts are near at hand, 

f Christian had faith ; he believed that there was redemption in the blood 
of Christ, even forgiveness of sins, before he came up to the cross, but 
now he finds and feels the comfort of it : He has now the joy of faith ; the 
guilt of his sins is taken off' his conscience, and he is filled with joy and 
])eace in believing. You who believe Christ to be the only Saviour, go on 
believing till you experience the comfort of knowing that he is your Saviour, 
and feel pardon in his blood ; for when God releases us of our guilt and 
burden, we are as those that leap for joy ; but you cannot have this till yovi! 
come to the cross, and rest all your hopes upon it. 

(a) Isa. xxvi. 1. (A) Zech. xii. 10. 



christian's exultation. 89 

him, and saluted him with " Peace be to thee :" so the 
first said to him, ** Thy sins be forgiven thee ;"(«) the 
second stripped him of his rags and clothed him with 
change of raiment ; the third also set a *mark on his 
forehead, and gave him a roll with a seal upon it,(^) 
which he bid him look on as he ran, and that he should 
give it in at the celestial gate ; so they went their way. 
Then Christian gave three leaps for joy^ and went on 
singing — 

" Thus far did I come laden with my sin, 
Nor could aught ease the grief that I was in, 
Till I came hither : what a place is this I 
Must here be the beginning of my bliss ? 
Must here the burden fall from off my back ? 
Must here the strings that bind it to me crack ? 
Blest cross ! blest sepulchre ! blest rather be 
The Man that there was put to shame for me I** 



* Here is tlie love and grace of God the Father, God the Son, and God 
the Holy Ghost. Pray mind ; when God pardons the sinner through the 
blood of Christ, he also clothes him with the righteousness of Christ. Those 
who deny Christ's righteousness, never saw the purity of the law ; their own 
nakedness, nor abhorred the filthy rags of their own righteousness. — 
The author's uniform doctrine sufficiently shows, that he considered spi- 
ritual apprehensions ef the nature of the atonement as the only source of ge- 
nuine peace and comfort. And as the '* mark in the forehead'* plainly signifies 
the renewal of the soul to holiness, so that the mind of Christ may appeal* 
in the outward conduct, connected with an open profession of the faith, while 
the roll with a seal upon it, denotes such an assurance of acceptance, as ap- 
pears most clear and satisfactory, when the believer most attentively com- 
pares his views, experiences, desires and purposes, with the holy scriptures, 
so he could not possibly intend to ascribe such effects to any other agent than 
the Holy Spirit, who, by enabling a man to exercise all filial affections to- 
wards God in an enlarged degree, as the " spirit of adoption bears witness'* 
with his conscience, that God is reconciled to him, having pardoned all his 
sins ; that he is justified by faith, through the blood of Christ : and that h« 
is a child of God, and an heir of heaven. These things are clear and in- 
telligible to those who have experienced this happy change, 

(«) Mark ii. 5. (A) Zech. iii. 4. Eph. i. 13. 

12 



90 giMPLE, SLOTH, AND PRESCMPTION. 



CIIAPTEIl Til. 

CHRISTIAN FINDS SIMPLE, SLOTH, ANH PRF-.?UMP'iiOrv 
FAST ASLEEP IS DESPISED BY FORMALIST AND HY- 
POCRISY ASCENDS THE HILL DIFFICULTY LOSES 

HIS ROLL, AND FINDS IT AGAIN. 

I SAW then in my dream, that he went on thus even 
until he came at the bottom, where he saw, a little out 
of the way, three men fast asleep, with fetters upon 
their heels. The name of the one was Simple, another 
Sloih, and the third Presumption*^- 

Christian then seeing them lie in this case went to 
them, if perad venture he might avv'akethem; and cried, 
You are like them that sleep on the top of a mast, (a) 
for the dead sea is under you, a gulf that hath no bot- 
tom : awake, therefore, and come aw^ay ; be willing also, 
and I will help you oif with your irons. He also told 
them. If he that goeth about like a roaring lion comes 
by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth. (Z>) 
With that they looked upon him, and began to reply 
in this sort: f^i^'^'iplG said, ** I see no danger :" Sloth 
said, *' Yet a little more sleep :" and Presumption said, 
*' Every tub must stand upon its own bottom." And so 
they laid down to sleep again, and Christian ^vent on 
his way. 

Yet was he troubled to think that men in that dan- 
ger should so little esteem the kindness of him that so 



. * Tlie Lord shews us the miser}' and danger of other professors, to give 
us warning's by the way, and to stir us up to watchfulness. 

■ -[■ There is no persuasion will do, if God openeth not the ej'es. Remem- 
ber, all is of grace. It is (jod's gTace that quickens, enlightens, converts, 
justifies, preserves, sanctifies, and glorifies. Well may pilgrims sing every 
^tep ; 

O to grace what mighty debtors, 
Daily, hourly, Lord, are v. e ! 

(n) Prov. xxiii. 34. (/;) 1 Pet. v. 8- 



FORMALIST AND HYPOCRISY. 91 

freely oftered to help them, both by the awakening of 
them, counselUng of them, and proft'ering to help them 
off with their irons. ^ And as he was troubled there- 
about, he spied two men come tumbling over the wall 
on the left-hand of the naiTOw way ; and they made up 
apace to him. The name of the one was Formalist, and 
the name of the other Hypocrisy. So, as I said, they 
drew up unto him, who thus entered with them into 
discourse. 

Chr. Gentlemen, whence come you, and wtehergo 
you ? 

Form, and Hyp. We were born in the land of 
Vain-Glory, and are going for praise to mount Zion. 

Chr. Why came you not in at the gate which stand- 
eth at the beginning of the way ? Kr.ow you riOt that it 
is WTitten, that " He that cometh not in by the door, 
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief 
and a robber ?"(a) 

They said, that to go to the gate for entrance was by all 
their countrymen counted too far about ; and that, 
therefore, their usual v/ay was to make a short cut of 
it, and to climb over the wall, as they had done. 

Chr. But will it not be counted a trespass against 
the Lord of the city whither we are bound, thus to 
violate his revealed will ? 

They told him,f that, as for that, he needed not 
trouble his head thereabout ; for what they did, tliey 
had custom for ; and could produce, if need were, tes- 
timony that would witness it for more than a thousand 
years. 

But, said Christian, will your practice stand a trial at 
law ? 



* A Christian spirit feels for others' dangers, and aims and strives to be 
profitable to them. 

f They that come into the way, but not by the door, think that they can 
say something in vindication of their own nracUce. 

(a) John X, 1, 



02 CHRISTIAN KV VAIN REASONS WITH THEM. 

They told him, that custom^ it being of so long 
standing as above a thousand years, would doubtless 
now be admitted as a thing legal by an impartial judge : 
and besides, say they, if we get into the way, what's 
the matter which way we get in ? If we are in, we. are in : 
thou art but in the way, who, as we perceive, came in 
at the gate ; and we are also in the way, that came tum- 
bling over the wall : wherein now is thy condition bet? 
ter than ours ? 

Chr. I walk by the rule of my Master, you walk 
by the rude working of your fancies. You are count- 
ed thieves already by the Lord of the way, therefore I 
doubt you will not be found true men at the end of the 
way. You came in by yourselves without his direc- 
tion, and shall go out by yourselves without his mercy. ^ 

To this they rnade but little answer ; only they bid 
him look to himself. Then I saw that they w^ent on, 
(every man in his way, without much conference one 
with another ; save that these two men told Christian, 
that, as to laws and orditiances, they doubted not but 
they should as conscientiously do them as he ; there- 
fore, said they, we see not wherein thou diiferest from 
us, but by the coat that is on thy back, which was, as 
we trow, given thee by some of thy neighbours, to hide 
the shame of thy nakedness, f 

Chr. By laws and ordinances you will not be sav- 
ed, («) since you came not in by the door. And as for 
this coat that is on my back, it was given me by the 
Lord of the place whither I go j and that, as you say, 



* Here is the essential difference between a real Christian and formal hy- 
pocrites ; he takes the word of God for the warrant of liis faith, and tlie 
rule of his condupt, which they reject; for they are left under the power 
of their natural will and carnal reason, and hence they brave it out for a 
season, with vain hopes and confidences. 

f The glorious robe of Christ's righteousness, v/liich is put ;ipon every 
believer, is sneered at and held in contempt by formal professors, who se^ 
not their nakedness and w^it of covering. 

(a) Gal. ii, 16. 



THE HILL DIFFICrTLTY. 93 

•to cover mj^ nakedness with. And I take it as a token 
of kindness to me ; for I had nothing but rags before : 
and besides, thus I comfort myself as I go ; surely, 
think I, when I come to the gate of the city, the Lord 
thereof \vill kno\v me for good, since J have his coivt 
on my back ! a coat that he gave me freely in the day 
that he stripped me of my rags. I have, moreover, a 
mai'k in my forehead, of which perhaps you have taken 
no notice, which one of my Lord's most intimate asso- 
ciates fixed there in the day that my burden fell off my. 
shoulders. I will tell to you, moreover, that I had then 
given me a roll scaled, to comfort me by reading as I 
go on the way ; I was also bid to give it in at the celes- 
tial gate, in token of my certain going in after it : all 
Avhich things I doubt you want, and want them because 
you came not in at the gate.^ 

To these things they gave him no ans\\'er ; only they 
looked upon each other and laughed. f Then I saw 
that they went on all, save that Christian kept before, 
who had no more talk but with himself, and that some- 
times sighingly,! and sometimes comfortably : also he 
would be often reading in the roll 5 that one of the shi- 
ping ones gave him, by which he was refreshed. 

I beheld then that they all went on till they came to 
the foot of the hill Difficulty ; || at the bottom of which 
was a spring. There were also in the same place two 
pther ways, besides that Vvhich came straight from the 



* Where Is the witness of the Spint, and the seal of the Spirit, that so\il 
will also g-lory in the rij^liteousness of Christ ; for this is the joy of faith, 
that Christ is the Lord our righteousness, Jer. xxiii. 6. In vain do men talk 
of inward joy, who reject the clothing* of Clirist's rig-liteousness. 

f Vain-glorious-fools laugh at Christ's humble })ilgrims. 

t What! sighing already, and just pardoned ? One should expect lliat 
lie was all joy ; nothing but joy. O these ai'e sighs of love, which stran- 
fjers to spiritual joy know nothing of. 

§ This means the assurance which li» had from the Spirit, of the free 
love, free grace, free pardon, free justificaiion, of Christ to his sotil. 

(1 He came to the hill Difficult)' ; a way unpleasing to flesh and blood, 
which proves and tries the sincerity of our faith, and the earnestness of 
pur souls, in our pilgrimage. 



94 FORMALIST AND HYPOCRISY TURN ASIDE. 

gate ; one turned to the left hand and the other to the 
right, at the bottom of the hill ; but the narrow way lay 
right up the hill, and the name of the way is called Diffi- 
culty. Christian went now to the spring, and drank 
thereof to refresh himself, (a) and then began to go up 
the hill, saying — 

" The hill, though high, I covet to ascend, 
The difficulty will not me offend ; 
For I perceive the way to life lies here : 
Come, pluck up, heart, let*s neither faint nor fear. 
Better, though difficulty the right way to go. 
Than wrong, though easy.^ where the end is woe."* 

The other two also came to the foot of the hill ; but 
when they saw that the hill was steep and high, and 
that there were two other ways to go ; and supposing 
also that these two ways might meet again with that up 
which Christian went, on the other side ol the hill, there- 
fore they were resolved to go into those ways. Nov/ 
the name of one of those \vays ^^^as Danger, and the 
name of the other Destruction. So the one took the 
way which is called Danger, which did lead him into a 
great wood, and the other took directly up the way to 
Destruction, which led him into a wide field, full of 
dark mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose 
no more.f 

I looked then after Christian, to see him go up the 
hill, where I perceived he fell from running to going, 



* Depend upon it, pilgiim, some great blessing Is at hand, when tliou hast 
some j^reat diffiLculty to grapple with and to overcome. — The believer's 
state on earth is a state of trial ; he must meet with difficulties, to prove 
his faith and love. The hill Difficulty represents those circumstances which 
require self-denial and exertion, and may signify whatever in our walk, 
proves irksome to fle&h and blood. 

-j- Formalists and hypocrites, as they come easy into the way of profes- 
sion, without any convictions of sin to cause them to fly to Christ the wick- 
et-gate, so they find the easiest path to flesh and blood, and often perish in 
the end. 

{a) Isa. xlix. 10. 



CHFtlSTIAN SLEEPS, AND LOSES HIS ROLL. 95 

and from going to clambering upon his hands and his 
knees, because ^f die steepness of the place. Now 
about the midway to the top of the hill was a pleasant 
arbour made by the Lord of the hill for the refreshing 
of weary travellers ; thither, therefore, Christian got, 
where also he sat down to rest him : then he pulled his 
roll out of his bosom, and read therein to his comfort ; 
he also now began afresh to take a review of the coat 
or garment that was given him as he stood by the cross. 
Thus pleasing himself a while he at last fell into a 
slumber, and thence into a fast sleep, which detained 
him in that place until it was almost night ; and in his 
sleep his roll fell out of his hand.* Now, as he was 
sleeping, there came one to him and awaked him, say- 
ing, *' Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; consider her 
ways, and be wise."(«) And with that Christian sud- 
denly started up, and sped him on his way, and went 
apace till he came to the top of the hill.f 

Now when he was got up to the top of the hill there 
came two men running to meet him amain ; the name 
of the one vVas Timorous, and of the other Mistrust : J 
to whom Christian said, Sirs, what is the matter you 
run the wrong way ? Timorous answered, that they 
were going to the city of Zion, and had got up that dif- 
ficult place : but, said he, the further we go the more 



* Happy for Christian that he did not fall into the dream of Antinomian 
notions, so as to sleep in a ftlse security without his roll. The best of 
blessings, even spiritual comforts from the God of g-race, through the in- 
fection of our nature, (if we do not watch and pray in faith) are liable to be 
abused, so as to cause us to sleep when we should be active and diligent in 
running the heavenly race, looking inito Jesus 

f The Lord loves his people, nor will he suffer them to sleep the sleep 
of death, — he will, on tlicir stirring up liis gift within them, shine upon, 
and revive his gracious work. 

t Timorous and Mistrust are great enemies to tlie Christian's faith, and 
bring up an evil report of his way. Listen not to them, but look to God's 
truth and faithfulness ; rely on his precious promises, and have your feet 
.shod with the gospel of peace. Who or what shall harm you, if ye be fol* 
lowers of that wliich is good. 

(a) Prov. vi. 6, 



06 MISTRUST AND TIMOROUS GO BACK. 

danger we meet with ; wherefore we turned, and arc 
going back again. * ' 

Yes, said Mistrust, for just before us lies a couple 
of lions in the way, (whether sleeping or waking we 
know not ;) and we could not think, if we came within 
reach, but they would presently pull us in pieces. - 

Then said Christian you make me afraid : but whi^ 
ther shall I flee to be safe ? If I go back to my own 
country, that is prepared for fire and brimstone, and I 
shall ca'tainly perish there : if I can get to the celestial 
city, I am sure to be in safety there :^ — I must venture : 
to go back is nothing but death ; to go forward is fear 
of death, and life everlasting beyond it : — I will yet go 
forward. So Mistrust and Timorous ran down the 
hill, and Christian went on his way. But thinking 
again of Aviiat he had heard from the men, he felt 
in his bosom for his roll, that he might read therein and 
be comforted ; but he felt and found it not. Then 
was CliiTstian in great distress, and knew not what to , 
do ; for he wanted that which used to relieve liim, and 
that which should have been his pass into the celestial 
city. Here therefore he began to be much perplexed,t 
and knew not what to do. At last he bethought him- 
self that he had slept in the arbour that is on the side 
of the hill ; — ^and falling down upon his knees he ask- 
ed God forgiveness for that foolish act, and then went 



* Ciiristiaa shakes off Tear, by sound scriptural reasoning ; even the rea* 
Soning- of faitli, against the fear of the flesh, and mistrust or unbelief. We 
have always a sure word of prophesy, whereunto we shall do well to take 
heed. When dangers beset, and fears assault, remember whose ye are, and 
wliom ye serve : look to tlie way you are in, and the end of your faith, evert 
the salvation of your soul. Study tlve word of God and obey it. 

t He is perplexed for his roll ; this is right. If we suffer spiritual loss, 
and are easy and unconcerned about it, it is a sure sign that we indulge 
carnal security and vain confidences. Many go on so till they sink into a 
down-riglit Antimonian spirit. O beware of this ; for many who abhor the 
name, yet have drunk into the spirit of it, and hence live and walk without 
spiritual communion with God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, and 
rest contenjted without the witness of the Spirit with their spirits, that they 
are the children of God. 



chiiistian's sorrowful reflections. 97 

back to look for his roll. But all the way he went 
back, who can sufficiently set forth the sorrow of Chris- 
tian's heart ? Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he 
wept, and oftentimes he chid himself for being so fool- 
ish to fall asleep in that place, which was erected only 
for a little refreshment for his weariness. Thus, there-" 
fore, he went back, carefully looking on this side and 
on that, all the way as he went, if happily he might 
iind the roll that had been his comfort so many times 
in his journey. He went thus till he came again in 
sight of the arbour where he sat and slept ; but that 
sight renewed his sorrow the more, by bringing again^ 
even afresh, his evil of sleeping into his mind.^* 
Thus therefore he now went on bewailing his sinful 
sleep, saying, " O wretched man that I iun!" that I 
should sleep in the day time ! (a) that I should ^leep iii 
the midst of difficulty ! that I should so indulge the 
flesh, as to use that rest for case to my flesh, which the 
Lord of the hill hath erected only for the relief of the 
spirits of pilgrims ! How many steps have I took in 
vain ! Thus it happened to Israel, for their sin they 
were sent back again by the way of the Red Sea : and 
I am made to tread those steps with sorrow, which I 
might have trod with delight, had it not been for this 
sinful sleep. How far might I have been on my way 
by this time ! I am made to tread those steps thrice 
over, which I needed to have trod but once :f yea^ 
now also I am like to be benighted, for the day is aU 
most spent ;— O that 1 had not slept ! 



* Look CO yoiit^ spirits. Christians. See if you have not after-sorrow for 
fbrmer indalg-ences But it is far belter to be crying " O wretched man 
that I am," than to be aUve to carnal confidences, and dead to the desire, 
of spiritual comforts. 

f Christian's perplexity, fear, sorrow, remorse, redoubled earnestness, 
complaints, and self-reproachings, when he mis-sed his roll, and went back 
to seek it, exactly suit the experience of numbers, who through unwatch- 
^ulness, are brought into a state of uncertainty. Nothinjj can afford com- 

(a) 1 Thess. V. 7, 8. Kev. ii. 4, 5, 
13 



98 CHRISTIAN SEEKS AND FINDS HIS ROLL. 

Now by this time he was come to the arbour again, 
where for a while he sat clown and wept ; but at last 
(as God would have it,) looking- sorrowfully down un* 
der the settle, there he spied his roll ; the which he with 
trembling and haste catched up and put in his bosom. 
But who can tell how joyful this man was when he had 
gotten his roll again ? For this roll was the assurance 
of his life, and acceptance at the desired haven. 
Therefore he laid it up in his bosom, gave God thanks 
for directing his eye to the place where it lay, and with 
joy and tears betook himself again to his journey.^ 
But O how nimbly now did he go up the rest of the 
hill !- — Yet before he got up, the sun went down upon 
Christian ; and this made him again recall the vanity of 
his sleeping to his remembrance ; and thus he again 
began to condole with himself: " O thou sinful sleep! 
how for thy sake am I like to be benighted in my jour- 
ney ! I must walk without the sun, darkness must co- 
ver the path of my feet, and I must hear the noise of 
doleful creatures, because of my sinful sleep I" Now 
also he remembered the story that Mistrust and Timo- 
rous told him of, how they were frighted with the sight 
of the lions. Then said Christian to himself again, 



fort to a mind tliat has enjoyed an assurance of tlie favour of God ; but tLat 
love which is " better than life :" and such is the abundant mercy of .feho ■ 
vah, that he imparts lig'ht and power to the humble soul, wlio, by means of 
extraordinary dilig-ence, with renewed application to the blood of Jesus, 
will in time recover his warranted confidence which he lost, and God will 
** restore to him the joy of his salvation :" but he must as it were, pass re- 
peatedly over the same ground with sorrow, which had it not been for his 
negligence, lie might have passed at once with comfort. 

* This means a fresh sense of the love and jjeace of God, and joy in the 
Holy Ghost, through faith in Christ Jesus. Mind with what alacrity and 
speed Pilgrim now pursues his journey. O this rich blessing of assurance 
5s not enougli prized, and too little sought for bv professors. But how can 
any be content without it ? It is impossible for them to be happy, and to re - 
joice in the Lord, without a real, scriptural assurance of his love and favour 
It is this which adds wings to faith, liveliness to hope, joy to love, and 
cheerfulness to obedience. Plead the precious promises : be not content 
without the enjoyment of the blessings contained in them. Says our Lord. 
** Ask and ye sliall receive, that your joy may be full" John svi. 24. 



THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL. 99 

These beasts range in the night for their prey ; and if 
they should meet with me in the dark, how should I 
shift them ? how should I escape being by them torn 
in pieces? Thus he went on. But, while he was be- 
wailing his unhappy miscarriage, he lifted up his eyes ; 
and, behold, there was a very stately palace before him, 
the name of which was Beautiful,^ and it stood by the 
highway side. 



* Hitherto Christian has been a solitary pilgrim : but we must next 
consider him as admitted to the communion of the faithful, and joining* with 
them in the most solemn public ordinances. This is represented under the 
emblem of the House Beautiful, and the pilgrim's entertainment in it, as 
described in the subsequent pages. Mr. Bunyan here manifests much 
candour and liberality of sentiment ; and his representations may suit the 
admission of any new members into the society of professed Christians in 
any communion, where a serious regard to spiritual religion is in this re- 
spect maintained. 

It certainly would be very desirable, that Christian societies sliould be 
formed according to the principles here exhibited : such would indeed be 
very beautiful^ honourable to God, conducive to mutual edification, and ex- 
amples to the world around them. Different expedients have been adopted 
for thus promoting the communion of saints ; the advantages resulting 
therefrom has been incalculable : but surely even more might be done, than 
is at present, perhaps any where, were all concerned to attempt it boldly, 
earnestly, and with united efforts. 



100 THE PORTER aUESTIONS CHRISTIANv 



CHAPTER VIII. 

OHRISTIAN SAFELY PASSES THE LIONS; AND ARRIVES 
AT THE HOUSE CALLED BEAUTIFUI , WHERE HE Ig 
KINDLY RECEIVED, AND AGREEABLY ENTERTAINED, 

So I saw in my dream, that he made haste and went 
forward, that if possible he might get lodging there. 
Now before he had gone far he entered into a very 
narrow passage, which was about a furlong off the Por- 
ter's lodge ; and looking very narrowly before him as 
he went, he spied two lions in the way.* Now, 
thought he, I see the danger that Mistrust and Timo- 
rous were driven back by. (The lions were chained, 
but he saw not the chains.) Then he was afraid, and 
thought also himself to go back after them ; for he 
thought nothing but death was before him. But the 
Porter ^t the lodge, whose name is Watchful, per- 
ceiving that Christian made a halt, as if he would go 
back, cried unto him, saying, " Is thy strength so 
small ?(«) Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and 
are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for 
discovery of those that have none : keep in the midst 
of the padi, and no hurt shall come unto thee." 

Then I saw that he went on trembling for fear of 
the lions ; but taking good heed to the directions of 
the Porter, he heard them roar, but they did him no 
harm. Then he clapped his hands, and went on till he 



* The two lions may signify to us, the roaring of tlie devil and tlie world 
against us : but both are chained, they cannot go one link beyond what oiu* 
God permits. Sometimes we may see the cliain, and unscriptural fears 
may be^et ifs. But this is the watch-word of our Lord, FEAR NOT. 

( a) Msrk ivf '40v 



DISCRETION COMES OUT TO HIM. 101 

came and stood before the gate where the Porter was.*' 
Then said Christian to the Porter, Sir, what house is 
this ? and, may I lodge here to-night ? The Porter an- 
swered. This house was built by the Lord of the hill, 
and he built it for the relief and security of pilgrims. 
The Porter also asked whence he was ? and whither 
he was going ? 

Chr. I am come from the city. of Destruction, and 
am going to mount Zion ; but, because the sun is now 
set, I desire, if I may, to lodge here to-night. 

PoR. What is your name ? 

Chr. My name is now Christian, but my name at 
the first was Graceless -.f I came of the race of Japheth, 
whom God will persuade to dwell in the tents of 
Shem.(«) 

PoR. But how doth it happen that you come so late ? 
The sun is set. 

Chr. I had been here sooner, but that, wretched 
man that I am ! I slept in the arbour that stands on the 
hill- side. Nay, I had, notwithstanding that, been here 
much sooner, but that in my sleep I lost my evidence, J 
and came without it to the bro^v of the hill ; and then 
feeling for it, and finding it not, I was forced, with sor- 
row of heart, to go back to the place where I slept my 
.sleep ; where I found it, and now I am come.§ 

PoR. Well, I will call out one of the virgins of this 
|)lace, who will, if she like your talk, bring you in to 



* A minister of Christ, one who is watchful for the good of souls. O 
liow precious are they to pilgrims' hearts ! See the sweet encouragement 
and blessed advice Pilgrim obtained from him. 

f O soul, did you ever know that this was your name ? Hast thou tasted 
that the Lord is rich in grace to graceless sinners ? O then sing of free 
grace and unmerited love, every step of thy pilgrimage. 

^ Look well to your roll. Beware of losing your assiu-ance. See the evil 
of it ; it keeps the soul. back. Many have lost it, and have never found it. 

§ None ought to be admitted into the clmrch of Christ, but such as can 
give good evidence that they are the children of God by faith in Christ Je* 
«?us. and are sincere pilgrims in the way to the heavenly city. 

(a) Gen.ix. 27^ 



102 DISCRETION INTRODUCES HIM TO THE FAMILY. 

the rest of the family, according to the rules of the 
house. So Watchful the Porter rang a bell, at the 
sound of which came out at the door of the house a 
grave and beautiful damsel, named Discretion,* and 
asked why she was called ? 

The Porter answered, This man is in a journey from 
the city of Destruction to mount Zi©n ; but being 
weary and benighted, he asked me if he might lodge 
here to-night : so I told him I would call for thee, who, 
after discourse had with him, mayest do as seemeth thee 
good, even according to the law of the house. 

Then she asked him whence he was ? and whither he 
was going ? and he told her. She asked him also how 
he got in the way ? and he told her. Then she asked 
him what he had seen and met with in the way ? and he 
told her. And at last she asked his name. So he said, 
It is Christian : and I have so much the more a desire 
to lodge here to-night, because, by what I perceive, 
this place was built by the Lord of the hill for the 
relief and security of pilgrims. So she smiled, but 
the v/ater stood in her eyes ; and after a little pause 
she said, I will call forth two or three more of the 
family. So she ran to the door, and called out Pru- 
dence, Piety, and Charity, who, after a little more dis- 
course v. ith him, had him into the family ; and many of 
them meeting him at the threshold of the house said, 
" Come in, thou blessed of the Lord ; * this house was 
built by the Lord of the hill, on purpose to entertain 
such pilgrims in.' '' Then he bowed his head, and fol- 
lowed them into the house. So when he was come in 
imd sat down, they gave him something to drink, and 
consented together that, until supper was ready, some 
of them should have some particular discourse with 
Christian, for the best improvement of time ; and they 



Admittini^ members into churches, should be dcre with discretion. 



PIETY DISCOURSKS WITH CHRISTIAN. lOS 

appointed Piety, and Prudence, and Charity, to dis- 
course with him ; and thus they began.* 

Pi. Come, good Christian, since we have been so 
loving to you, to receive you into our house this night, 
let us, if perhaps we may better ourselves thereby, talk 
with you of all things that have happened to you in your 
pilgrimage. 

Ch R. With a very good will ; and I am glad that you 
are so well disposed. 

Pi. What moved you at first to betake yourself to a 
pilgrim's life ? 

CHR.'il was driven out of my native country by a 
dreadful sound that was in mine ears ; to wit, that una- 
voidable destruction did attend me if I abode in that 
place where I was. 

Pi. But how did it happen that you came out of your 
country this way ? 

Chr. It was as God would have it ; for when I was 
under the fears of destruction, I did not know whither 
to go ; but by chance there came a man, even to me as 
I was trembling and weeping, whose name is Evange- 
list, and he directed me to the Wicket-gate, which else 
I should never have found, and so set me into the way 
that hath led me directly to this house. 

Pi. But did not you come by the house of the In- 
terpreter ? 

Chr. Yes, and did see such things there, the re- 
membrance of which will stick by me as long as I live ; 
especially three things ; to wit, how Christ, in despite 
of Satan, maintains his work of grace in the heart ; how 
the man had sinned himself quite out of hopes of God's 
mercy ; and also the dream of him that thought in his 
sleep the day of judgment was come.f 

Pi. Why, did you hear him tell his dream ? 

• The blessedness of savoury, experimental conversation with fellow* 
pilgrims. 
I Hope and fear should accompany us every step of our journey^ With- 



104 HE RELATES WHAT HE HAD SEEN IN THE WAY. 

Chr. Yes, and a dreadful one it was, I thought; it 
made my heart ache as he was telUng of it ; but yet I 
am glad I heard it. 

Pi. Was this all you saw at the house of the Inter- 
preter ? 

Chr. No ; he took me and had me where he shewed 
me a stately palace, and how the people were clad in 
gold that were in it ; and how there came a venturous 
man and cut his way through the armed men that 
stood in the door to keep him out ; and how he was 
bid to come in and win eternal glory : methought those 
things did ravish my heart. I \vould have staid at that 
good man's house a twelve-month, but that I knew I 
had further to go. 

Pi. And what saw you else in the way? 

Chr. Saw ! Why, I v/ent but a little further, and I 
saw one, as I thought in my mind, hang bleeding up- 
on a tree ; and the very sight of him made my burden 
fall off my back, (for I groaned under a very heavy bur- 
den, but then it fell dowTi from off me.) It was a 
strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before : 
yea, and Vvdiile I stood looking up (for then I could not 
forbear looking,) three shining ones came to me : one 
of them testified that mv sins were fors'iven me ; another 
stripped me of my rags, and gave me this embroidered 
coat which you see ; and the third set the mark which 
you see in my forehead, and gave me this sealed roll : 
(and with that he plucked it out of his bosom. )^ 
Pi. But you saw more than this, did you not? 



out true piety tliere can be no real Christianity. The Lord shews us many 
tiling's in our way concerning' the cases of others, to make us fear falling 
away ; while he displays the g'lory of his c^race in keeping- his saints, to ani- 
mate our hope on his power, and trust in his g-race. Lock unto Jesus. 

* A blessed scriptural experience of what the Lord had done for his soul ; 
quite necessary for every one, before admission into the church of Christ. 
For want of this, many who are joined, prove of no profit to other souls, 
and get no good to their ov/n. A mere profession of Christ, without an 
experience of his love, grace, and peace, being sealed upon the heart by 
the Spirit the Comforter, i^ nothing but empty speculation. 



I 



HE IS INTERROGATED BY TRUDENCt. 105 



Cnri, The things that I have told you were the bcst^ 
yet some other matters I saw ; as, namely, I saw three 
men, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption, lie asleep a lit^ 
tie out of the way as I came, with irons upon their 
heels ; but do you think I could awake them ! I also 
^aw Formality and Hypocrisy come tumbling over the 
wall, to go, as they pretended, to Zion, but they were 
quickly lost ; even as I myself did tell them, but they 
would not believe. But, above all, I found it hard 
work to get up this hill, and as hard to come by the 
lions' mouths; and truly, if it had not been for the 
good man, the Porter, that stands at the gate, I do not 
know but that j after all, I might have gone back again ; 
but now, I thank God, 1 am here ; and I thank you 
for receiving of me. 

Then Prudence thought good to ask him a few ques- 
tions, and desired his answers to them. 

Pru. Do you not think sometimes of the country 
from whence you came ? 

Chr. Yes, but with much shame and detestation i 
truly, if I had been mindful of that country from 
whence I came out^ I might have had opportunity to 
have returned ; but now I desire a better country, that 
is, an heavenly one.(G;) 

Pru. Do you not yet bear away with you some of 
the things that then you were conversant withal ?*^ 

Chr^ Yes, but greatly against my will ; especially 
my inward and carnal cogitations, with which all my 
countrymen, as well as myself were delighted : but now 
all those things are my grief; and might I but choose 
mine own things, I would choose never to think of 
those things more ; but when I would be a doing of 
that which is best, that which is worst is with me.(^) 

* Prudence must be joined to piety. Christian prudence should be visi- 
ble in every step of the professor ; for, says Solomon, *• I wisdom dwell 
with prudence.'* Prov. viii. 12. and " the wisdom of the prudent is to un- 
derstand his way," xiv. 8. His path is peace, and his end salv^Ation. 

(a) Heb. xi. 16. {b) Rom. va. 19, 

14 



106 PRUDENCE ASKS HIM OF Hlb lAWAUD EXFERlEKCE- 

pRU. Do you not find sometimes as if those things 
were vanquished, which at other times are your per- 
plexity ? 

Chr. Yes, but that is but seldom ; but they are 
to me golden hours in which such things happen to 
me. 

pRU. Can you remember by what means you find 
your annoyances at times as if they were vanquished ? 

Chr. Yes: when I think on what I saw at the cross, 
that will do it ; and when I look upon my embroidered 
coat, that w^ill do it : and when I look into the roll that I 
carry in my bosom, that will do it ; and when my 
thoughts wax warm about whither I am going, that 
will do it.* 

Pru. And what is it that makes you so desirous to 
go to mount Zion ? 

Chr. Why, there I hope to see him alive that did 
hang dead on the cross : and there I hope to be rid of 
all those things, that to this day are in me, an annoy- 
ance to me ; there they say there is no death :{a) and 
there shall I dwell with such company as I like best. 
For, to tell 3^ou the truth, I love him because I was by 
him eased of my burden ; and I am weary of my in- 
ward sickness. I would fain be where I shall die no 
more, and with the company that shall continually cry, 
"Holy, holy, holy."t 

Then said Charity to Christian, Have you a family ? 
are you a married man ? 



* Mind this. By believing his pardon by the blood of Christ, the love of 
God to him, by the witness of his Spirit, and the g-lory of heaven, to which 
lie is going, are what strengthen the Christian's heart against all oppositions. 

f A sight of Christ by faith, begets longing of soul to see him in glorv- 
A sense of his pardoning love makes us long to be with him ; a desire of be- 
ing perfectly freed from the very being of sin, ever accompanies a true and 
lively faith in him, and manifests that we profess a most holy faith. Jude 20> 

(a) Isa. XXV. 8. Rey. xxi. 4. 



CHARITY INQUIRES CONCERNING HIS FAMILY. 107 

Chr. I have a wife and four small children. 
Char. And why did not you bring diem along widi 
you? 

Then Christian wept, and said, Oh ! how willingly 
would I have done it ! but they were all of them ut^ 
terly averse to my going on pilgrimage.* 

Char. But you should have talked to them, and 
have endeavoured to have shown them the danger of 
being left behind. 

Chr. So I did ; and told them also what God had 
showed to me of the destruction of our city ; but I 
seemed to them as one that mocked, and they believed 
me not.(«) 

Char. And did you pray to God that he would 
bless your counsel to them ? 

Chr. Yes, and that with much affection ; for you 
must think that my wife and poor children were very 
dear unto me. 

Char. But did you tell them of your own sorrow, and 
fear of destruction ? for I suppose that destruction was 
visible enough to you. 

Chr. Yes, over, and over, and over. They might 
also see my fears in my countenance, in my tears, and 
also in my trembling under the apprehension of the 
judgments that did hang over our heads ; but all was 
not sufficient to prevail with them to come with me. 

Char. But what could they say for themselves why 
they came not ? 

Chr. Why, my wife was afraid of losing this world ; 
and my children were given to the foolish delights of 
youth : so, what by one thing and what by another, 
they left me to wander in this manner alone. 



* So the Spirit of a pilgi-im manifests itself in love to those of his own 
house, by earnestly wishing-, striving-, and praying-, if by any means he can 
prevail on them to flee from destruction, and come to Jesus for salvation. 

(a) Gen. xix. 4. 



^.■fi 



108 CHRISTIAN SHOWS WHY HE CAME ALONE. 

Char. But did you not with your vain life damp all 
that you by words used by way of persuasion to bring 
them away with you ?* 

Chr. Indeed, I cannot commend my life ; for I am 
conscious to myself of many failings therein : I know 
also, that a man by his conversation may soon over- 
throw what by argument or persuasion he doth labour 
to fasten upon others for their good. Yet this I can 
say, I was very wary of giving them occasion, by any 
unseemly action, to make them averse to going on pil- 
grimagCo Yea, for this very thing, they would tell me 
I was too precise ; and that I denied myself of tilings, 
for their sakes, in which they saw no evil. Nay, I 
think, I may say, that if what they saw in me did hin- 
der them, it was my great tenderness in sinning against 
God, or of doing any wrong to my neighbour. 

Char. Indeed Can hated his brother, " because his 
own works were evil, and his brother's righteous ;"(fl;) 
and if thy wife and children have been offended with 
thtc for this, they thereby show themselves to be im- 
placable to good ; and thou hast delivered thy soul froni 
their blood. t(<^} 

Now 1 saw in my dream, that thus they sat talking 
together until supper ^vas ready. So when they had 
made readv, thev sat down to meat.J Now the table 



* O soul, consider this deeply : it is the life of a Christian that carries more 
conviction and persuasion than his words. Though like an anijel, you lalk 
of Christ, of the i^ospel, of the docti'ines of grace, and of heaven, yet if 
you indulge evil tempers, and live under the power of any sinful lusts and 
passions, you will hereby harden oihers against the things of God, and pre- 
vent their setting out in the ways of God, and are in danger of finally pe- 
rishing Study and pray to be a constant walker in the ways of holiness, 
else all is but v/ividy profession, and airy talk. O how much harm is done 
to Christ's cause by the unholy walk of many professors ! 

f He ice see the necessity of a Christian's giving good evidence, that he is 
really possessed of those graces of piety, prudence, and charity or love, be- 
fore he can enjoy the communion of saints. True faith in Jesus is never 
alone, but is always attended with a train of Christian graces. 

^ This means the Lord's supper : where Christians in common feed on 
Jesus by faith, and dwell in contemplation, with wonder, love and piaise, for 

(a) John iii. 12. (b) Ezek. iii. 19. 



DISCOURSE ABOUT THE LORD OF THE HILL. lOD 

was furnished with fat things, and with wine that was 
wgU refined ; and all their talk at the table was about 
the Lord of the hill ; as, namely, about what he had 
done, and wherefore he did what he did, and why he 
had builded that house ; and, by what they said, I per- 
ceived that he had been a great warrior, and had fought 
with and slain him that had the power of death ,{a) but 
not without great danger to himself; which made me 
love him the more. 

For, as they said^ and, as I believe, said Christian, 
he did it with the loss of blood. But that v/hich put 
glory of grace into all he did, was, that he did it out of 
pure love to his country. And besides, there were 
some of them of the household that said, they had 
been, and spoke with him since he did die on the cross ; 
and they have attested, that they had it from his own 
lips, that he is such a lover of poor pilgrims, that the 
like is not to be found from the east to the west. 

They, moreover, gave an instance of what they af- 
firmed, and that was, he had stripped himself of his 
glory that he might do this for the poor ; and that they 
heard him say and affirm, that he would not dwell in 
the mountain of Zion alone. They said, moreover, 
that he had made many pilgrims princes, though by na- 
ture they were beggars born, and their original had 
been the dunghill. (^) 

Thus they discoursed together till late at night ;, 
and after they had committed themselves to their Lord 
for protection, they betook themselves to rest. The 
pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, whose 
window opened towards the sun-rising : the name of 
the chamber was Peace, where he slept till break of 
day, and then he awoke and sang — 



what Jesus had done for them, is in them, and is now doing for them at the 
right hand of God. Thus Christians feed on him by faith, and are nourish- 
^d up by him unto eternal Ufe. 

(a) Heb. ii. 14, 15, {h) 1 Sam. ii. 8. Ps. cxiii. 7. 



110 THE CHAMBER PEACE, AND THE STUDY. 

** Where am I now ! Is this the love and care 
Of Jesus, for the men that pilgrims are ; 
Thus to provide, that I should be forgiven, 
And dwell already the next door to heaven I"* 

So in the morning they all got up ; and, after some 
more discourse, they told him that he should not depart 
till they had showed him the rarities of that place. 
And first they had him into the stud}',t where they 
showed him records of the greatest antiquity : in which, 
as I remember my dream, they showed him, first, the 
pedigree of the Lord of the hill, that he was the Son 
of the Ancient of days, and came by that eternal gene- 
ration : here also were more fully recorded the acts that 
he had done, and the names of many hundreds that he 
had taken into his service ; and how he had placed 
them in such habitations that could neither by length 
of days, nor decay of nature, be dissolved. 

Then they read to him some of the worthy acts that 
some of his servants had done : as how they had "sub- 
dued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained pro- 
mises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the vio- 
lence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of 
weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, 
and turned to flight the armies of the aliens. "(c) 

Then they read again in another part of the records 
of the house, where it was showed how willing the 
Lord was to receive ipto his favour any, even any, 
though they in time past had offered great affronts to 
his person and proceedings. Here also w^ere several 



* A sinner cannot sleep safely and comfortably till he has found peace 
with God. But "being justified by faith, we have peace with God [and 
peace in our consciences] through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. v . 1 . 
But all unbelievers of the g-race of our Lord Jesus Christ are under the 
curse of the law, and condemnation for sin, and are at enmity against God. 

t Christ, and meditation on Christ, on his birtli, his person, his life, his 
works, his death, his atonement, righteousness, and salvation, are the de- 
light of Christian souls. Says David, " My meditation of him shall be 
sweet : I will be glad in tlie Lord " Psal. civ. 34. A lively Christian can- 
not, live without spiritual meditation. 

(a) Heh. xi. "", 34. 



THE AKMOUHV, AND ITS CUUIOSITIES. Ill 

Other histories of many other famous things, of all 
which Christian had a view : as of things both ancient 
and modern ; together with prophecies and predictions 
of things that have their certain accompHshment, both 
to the dread and amazement of enemies, and the com- 
fort and solace of pilgrims. 

The next day they took him, and had him into the 
armoury,* where they showed him all manner of fur- 
niture which their Lord had provided for pilgrims, as 
sword, shield, helmet, breastplate, all-prayer, and shoes 
that would not wear out. And there was here enough 
of this to harness out as many men, for the service of 
their Lord, as there be stars in the heaven for multi- 
tude. 

They also showed him some of the engines, with 
which some of his servants had done wonderful things. 
They showed him Moses's rod ; the hammer and nail 
with which Jael slew Sisera ; the pitchers, trumpets, 
and lamps too, with which Gideon put to flight the ar- 
mies of Midian. Then they showed him the ox- 
goad, wherewith Shamgar slew six hundred men. 
They showed him also the jaw-bone with which Samp- 
son did such mighty feats : they showed him moreover 
the sling and stone with which David slew Goliah of 
Gath ; and the sword also with which their Lord will 
kill the man of sin, in the day that he shall rise up to 
the prey. They showed him besides many excellent 
things with which Christian was much delighted.!—*' 
This done they went to their rest again. 



* The provision which is made in Christ, and his fulness for maintaining 
and increasing in the hearts of his people, those holy dis]'Osit.ions and affec- 
tions, by the vigorous exercise of which, victory is obtained over all their 
enemies, is here represented by the armoury. This suffices for all whd 
may seek to be supplied from it, how many soever tliey be. We ought* 
therefore, to " take to ourselves the whole armour of God,*' and " put it on" 
by diligently using all the means of grace, and we should assist others, by 
our exhortations, counsels, examples, and prayers, in doing the same. 

f Contemplations on the things of old, recorded in the word of God, is 
the joy and glory of faith, animates hopCj and causeth the soul to press for- 
ward in the Christian race^ 



112 CHRISTIAN SEES THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. 

Then I saw in my dream, that on the morrow he 
got up to go forwards, but they desired him to stay 
till the next day also ; and then, said they, we will, if 
the day be clear, show you the Delectable Mountains ;t 
which, they said, would yet further add to his comfort, 
because they were nearer the desired haven than the 
place where at present he was ; so he consented and 
staid. When the morning was up, they had him to 
the top of the house, and bid him look south : so he 
did ; and behold, at a great distance,(«) he saw a most 
pleasant mountainous country, beautified with woods, 
vineyards, fruits of ail sorts, flowers also, WTth springs 
and fountains, very delectable to behold. Then he ask- 
ed the name of the country. They said, It was Em- 
manuel's Land; and it is as common, say they, as 
this hill is, to and for all the pilgrims. And when thou 
comest there, from thence thou mayest see to the gate 
of the Celestial City, as the shepherds that live there 
will make appear. 



f The Delectable Mountains, as seen at a distance, represent those dis- 
tinct views of the privileges and consolations attainable in this life, with 
which believers are sometimes favoured, when attending on divine ordi- 
nances ; or dihgently makmg a subsequent improvement of them, by means 
whereof, they are animated to *' press forward toward the mark, for ih^ 
prize of the " high calling of God in Christ Jesus/* 

Great is the Lord our God, 
And let his praise be great ; 
He makes his churches his abode. 
His most delightful seat. 

These temples of his grace. 
How beautiful they stand ! 
The honours of our native placCr * 

And bulwarks of ou? land. 

(d) Isa. JEXxiii. 16, 17^ 



CHRISTIAN ARMED. 113 



CHAPTER IX. 

Christian enters the valley of humiliation, where 

HE IS fiercely attacked BY APOLLYON, BUI OVER- 
COMES him. 

[Now Christian bethought himself of setting forward, 
and tliey were willing he should. But first, said they, 
let us go again into the armoury. So they did ; and 
when he came there, they harnessed him from head to 
foot with what was of proof, lest perhaps he should 
meet with assaults in the way. He being therelore 
thus accoutred,* walked out with his friends to the 
gate, and there he asked the Porter, if he saw any pil» 
grim pass by ? Then the Porter answered, Yes. 

Chr. Pray did you know him ? 

Port. I asked his name, and he told me it \\^s 
Faithful. 

O, said Christian, I know him : he is my towns- 
man, my near neighbour, he comes from the place 
where I was born : how far do you think he may be 
before ? 

Port. He is got by this time below the hill. 

Well, said Christian, good Porter, the Lord be with 
thee, and add to all thy blessings much increase, for the 
kindness that thou hast showed to me. 

Then he began to go forward ; but Discretion, Piety, 
Charity, and Prudence, would accompany him down to 
the foot of the hill. So they went on together, reitetat- 
ing their former discourses, till they came to go down 
the hill. Then said Christian, As it was difficult com- 
ing up, so, so far as I can see, it is dangerous going 
down. Yes, said Prudence, so it is } for it is an hard 



See what this Christian armour is in Ephes.vL 18,i &c. 

15 



114 THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION, 

matter for a man to go down into the valley of Humilia*' 
tion as thou art now, and to catch no slip by the way ; 
therefore, said they, are we come out to accompany 
thee down the hill. So he began to go down, but very 
warily, yet he caught a slip or two.* 

Then I saw in my dream, that these good compa- 
nions, when Christian w^as gone down to the bottom of 
the hill, gave him a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, and 
a cluster of raisins ; and then he went on his way. 

But now, in this valley of Humiliation, poor Chris- 
tian was hard put to it ; for he had gone but a little way, 
before he spied a foul fiend coming over the field to 
meet him : his name is Apollyon.f Then did Chris- 
tian begin to be afraid, and to cast in his mind w^hether 
to go back or stand his ground. But he considered 
again that he had no armour for his back, and there- 
fore thought that to turn the back to him might give 
him greater advantage, with ease to pierce him with his 
darts ; therefore he resolved to venture, and stand his 
ground : for, thought he, had I no more in mine eye 
that the saving of my life, it would be the best way to 
stand. 

So he went on, and Apollyon met him. Now the 
monster was hideous to behold : he was clothed with 
scales like a fish (and they are his pride ; ) he had wings 
like a dragon, feet like a bear, and out of his belly 
came fire and smoke, and his mouth was as the mouth 
of a lion. When he was come up to Christian, he be- 



* Thu?^ it is after a pilgrim has been favoured vvitli many special and pecu- 
liar blessings, there is danger of his being puffed up and exalied on account 
of them : so did even holy Paul express it ; therefore the messenger of Sa- 
tan was ])ermitted to buii'et him, 2 Cor. xii. 7. In our present mixed statCj 
tlie Lord knows, it would not be best for us always to dwell on the mount, 
of spiritual joy ; therefore, for the good of the soul, the flesh must be hum- 
bled, ai>d kept low, lest spiritual pride prevail. It is hard going down into 
the Valley of Humiliation, without shppinginto murmuring and discontent, 
and calling in question tlie de.-tlings of God with us. 

7 A^oWyon Signifies the destrojtr,- (see Kev. ix. 11.) 



APOLLYON INTERROGATES CHRISTIAN, 115 

held him with a disdainful countenance, and thus be- 
gan to question with him.^' 

Apol. Whence came you? and whither are you 
bound ? 

Chr. I am come from the city of Destruction, 
which is the place of all evil, and am going to the city 
of Zion. 

Apol. By this I perceive thou art one of my sub- 
jects ; for all that country is mine, and I am the prince 
and s:od of it. How is it then that thou hast run away 
from thy king ? Were it not for that I hope thou may- 
est do me more service, I would strike thee now at one 
blow to the ground. 

Chr. I was born indeed in your dominions, but 
your service was hard, and your wages was such as a man 
could not live on ; *' for the wages of sin is death ;{a) 
therefore when I was come to years I did, as other con- 
siderate persons do, look out if perhaps I might mend 
myself, t 

Apol. There is no prince that will thus lightly lose 
his subjects, neither will I as yet lose thee ; but since 
thou complainest of thy service and wages, be content 
to go back ; what our country will afford^ I do here 
promise to give thee. 



* Do not be terrified though you meet Satan, and he assaults you in the 
most terrible form ; but mind this, before satan is suffered to attack Chris- 
tian, his Lord had provided and fitted liim with armour ; the armour of 
God, wherewith he could stand his ground, conquer satan, and repel all his 
fiery darts. In every conflict with Satan, the battle is the Lord's : his 
strength is engaged for our victory ; therefore fight the good figlit of faith. 

f All this is the effect of believing God's \vo"d, and llie conviction which 
it brings to the mind, of the evil of sin, of the deplorable state the sinner 
finds himself in, and of the grace and salvation of the Son of God As 
soon as a man believes these truths, he quits the service of the father of 
lies ; and by the faith of the trutli, he is armed to resist Satan ; for it is the 
glory of faith to draw all its reasonings from divine truth. 

{a) Rom. vi. 23- 



116 APOLLYON TEMPTS HIM TO GO BACK. 

Chr. But I have let myself to another, even to the 
king of princes ; and how can I with fairness go back 
with thee ? 

Apol. Thou hast done in this according to the pro- 
verb, " Change a bad for a worse c"*^ but it is ordinary 
for those that have professed themselves his servants, 
after a while to give him the slip, and return again to 
me. Do thou so too, and all shall be well.* 

Chr, I have given him my faith, and sworn my al- 
legiance to him : how then can I go back from this, 
and not be hanged as a traitor ? 

Apol. Thou didst the same to me, and yet I am 
willing to pass by all, if now thou wilt yet turn again 
and go back. 

Chr. What I promised thee was in my nonage; 
and besides, I count that the prince under whose ban- 
ner I now stand, is able to absolve me ; yea, and to 
pardon also what I did as to my compliance with thee : 
and, besides, O thou destroying Apollyon, to speak 
truth, I like his service, his wages, his servants, his 
government, his company, and country, better than 
thine ; and therefore leave off to persuade me further ; 
I am his servant, and I will follow him. 

Apol. Consider again, w^hen thou art in cool blood, 
what thou art like to meet vrith in the way that thou 
goest. Thou knowe,st that, for the most part, his ser- 
vants come to an ill end, because they are transgressors 
against me and my ways. How many of them have 
been put to shameful deaths ? — And besides, thou 
countest his service better than mine, whereas he never 
came yet from the place where he is to deliver any that 



* Here the father of lies delivers a most awful ti'uth ; but like himself 
backs it with a ly.ing' promise Most dreadful to think of, to set out in th^ 
profession of Jesus, and again to turn back to the service of Satan ! yet how 
common is this I Such reject Christ's truth ; and believe the devil's liej 
'^' that all shall be well." But their end i^ ill, and their death damnalio;^. 



# 



CHRISTIAN REPUTES HIS SUGGESTIONS. 117 

{served him out of their hands : but, as for me, how 
many times, as all the world very well knows, have I 
delivered, either by power or fraud, those that have 
faithfully served me, from him and his, though taken 
by them : and so I will deliver thee.* 

Chr. His forbearing at present to deliver them is on 
purpose to try their love, whether they will cleave to 
him to the end: and, as for the ill end thou sayest they 
come to, that is most glorious in their account : for, 
for present deliverance, they do not much expect it ; 
for they stay for their glory, and then they shall have 
it, when their Prince comes in his and the glory of the 
angels, t 

Apol. Thou hast already been unfaithful in thy ser- 
vice to him ; and how dost thou think to receive wages 
of him ? 

Chr. Wherein, O Apollyon, have I been unfaithful 
to him ? 

Apol. Thou didst faint at first setting out, when 
thou wast almost choked in the gulf of Despond ; 
thou didst attempt wrong ways to be rid of thy bur- 
den, whereas thou shouldest have stayed till thy Prince 
had taken it off : thou didst sinfully sleep, and lose thy 
choice things : thou wast also almost persuaded to go 
back at the sight of the lions : and when thou talkest 
of thy journey, and of what thou hast heard and seen, 
thou art inwardly desirous of vain- glory in all that thou 
sayest or doest.J 



* Mark tlie many subUe ways, and artfiil reasonlng^s of Satan, to prevent 
pilgrims from persevering- in the ways of the Lord. Happy for us not to be 
ignorant of Satan's devices. 

f Here is the precious reasoning of faith. Well might Paul say, " Above 
all (or over all) taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to 
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." Eph. vi. 16. 

t Satan is justly styled the accuser of the brethren of Christ, Rev. x. 12. 
for he accuseththem before God, and to their own consciences. ** Dut they 
overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimo- 
ny." Rev xii. ll. namely, "that they have redemption in the blood of 
Christ, even the forgiveness of their siti,^." Eph. i. 7. 



118 APOLLYON WOUNDS CHRISTIAN. 

Chr. All this is true, and much more which thou 
hast left out ; but the Prince, whom I serve and ho- 
nour, is merciful and ready to forgive. But besides, 
these infirmities possessed me in thy country : for 
there I sucked them in, and I have groaned under 
them, being sorry for them, and have obtained pardon 
of my Prince.^" 

Then Apollyon broke out into a grievous rage, say- 
ing, I am an enemy to this Prince ; I hate his person, 
his laws, and people : I am come out on purpose to 
withstand thee. 

Chr. Apollyon, beware what you do ; for I am in 
the king's highway, the way of holiness ; therefore 
take heed to yourself. 

Then Apollyon straddled quite over the whole 
breadth of the way, and said, I am void of fear in this 
matter ; prepare thyself to die ; for I swear by my in- 
fernal den that thou shalt go no further : here will I spill 
thy soul. 

And with that he threw a flaming dart at his breast ; 
but Christian had a shield in his hand, with which he 
caught it, and so prevented the danger of that, f 

Then did Christian draw ; for he saw it was time to 
bestir him ; and Apollyon as fast made at him, throwing 
darts as thick as hail ; by the which, notwithstanding 
all that Christian could do to avoid it, J Apollyon 
wounded him in his head, his hand and foot. This 
made Christian give a little back : Apollyon, therefore^ 



* That is the best way to own Satan's charges if they be true, yea, to ex- 
ag-g-erate them also, to exalt the riches of the grace of Christ, above all, in 
pardoning- all of the^ freely. By thus humbUng ourselves, and exalting" 
Christ, Satan can get no advantage over us, though this vv^ill put him into a 
rage against us. 

f The shield of faith : the belief of what Christ had done for him, and 
in him, and what he was in Christ, justified and sanctified. This glorious 
confession of faith honours Christ, repels and quenches all the fiery darts 
of Satan, and gets the victory over him. This is what Peter exhorts t^^ 
** resist the devil, steadfast in the faith." 1 Pet. v. 9. 

;t Christian wounded in his understanding, faith, and convsrsation 



>'• 



^HEIR DREADFUL COMBAT. 119 

followed his work amain, and Christian again took 
courage, and resisted as manfully as he could. This 
sore combat lasted for above half a day, even till Chris- 
tian was almost quite spent ; for you must know, that 
Christian, by reason of his wounds, must needs grow 
weaker and weaker.^ 

Then Apollyon, spying his opportunity, began to 
gather up close to Christian, and wrestling with him, 
gave him a dreadful fall ; and with that Christian's 
sword flew out of his hand. Then said Apollyon, I 
jam sure of thee now : and with that he had almost 
pressed him to death ; so that Christian began to de- 
spair of life. But, as God would have it,f while Apol- 
lyon was fetching his last blow% thereby to make a full 
end of this good man. Christian nimbly stretched out 
his hand for his sword, and caught it, saying, " Re- 
joice not against me, O mine enemy ! when I fall, I 
shall arise ;"(«) and with that gave him a dreadful 
thrust, which made him give back as one that had re- 
ceived his mortal wound. Christian perceiving that, 
made at him again, saying, " Nay, in all these things 
we are more than conquerors, through him that loved 
us;"(6) and with that Apollyon spread forth his dragon 
wings and sped him away, that Christian saw him no 
more. 

In this combat no man can imagine, unless he had 
seen and heard, as I did, what yelling and hideous roar- 
ing Apollyon made all the time of the fight ; he spake like 
a dragon : — and, on the other side, what sighs and groans 
burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him all the 



* We may think this is hard work^ why should a Christian be so severely 
attacked by Satan ? The Lord does not give us an armour to be useless, but 
tofi|^lit with, and prove its excellency, and in the use of it to experience his 
almighty power and unchangeable love : for though we are weak, he is al- 
mighty to stren^tlicn us, therefore we are called upon to be " strong in the 
Lord, and in the power of his mi'^ht." Eph. vi, 10. 
f Observe, that the Lord docs not look on as a mere spectator of our con. 
flicts, but he strengthens us in every evil day, and in every fight of faith, 
and brings us off at last more than conquerors through his love. 

(a) Mic vii. S. {b) Rom. viii. 37—39. Jam. iv. 7 



/J 



120 CHRISTIAJN'^S TICTOKY AND THANKSGIVING, 

while give so much as one pleasant look, till he per- 
ceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged 
sword; then indeed he did smile and look upward!* 
But it was the dreadfullest fight that ever I saw. 

So when the battle was over, Christian said, I will 
here give thanks to him that hath delivered me out of 
the mouth of the lion, to him that did help me against 
Apollyon. And so he did ; saying. 

" Great Beelzebub, the captain of this fiend, 
Designed my ruin ; theretore to this end 
He sent him harness'd out ; and he with rage 
That hellish was, did fiercely me engage ; 
But blessed Michael helped me, and I, 
By dint of sword did quickly make him fly : 
Therefore to him let me give lasting praise 
And thanks, and bless his holy name always/' 

Then there came to him an hand with some of th« 
leaves of the tree of life, the which Christian took and 
applied to the wounds that he had received in the bat- 
tle, and was healed immediately.! He also sat down 
in that place to eat bread, and to drink of that botile 
that was given him a little before : so being refreshed, 
he addressed himself to his journey with his Jsword 
drawn in his hand ; for he said, I know not but some 
other enemy may be at hand. But he met with no 
other affront from Apollyon quite through the valley. 

Now at the end of this valley was another, call- 
ed the valley of the shadow of Death ;5 and Chris- 



* Not a vain -glorious, but an humble, thankful smile. He looked up and 
smiling-ly g-ave the Lord all the g-lory of his victory. 

f No matter what wounds we get in our conflicts with Satan, for Jesus 
will heal them all. But who will heal those which we get by complying 
with the devil, instead of resisting him ? 

i Conflicts with satan makes Christians wary, and value tlieir sword, so 
as to walk with the sword of the spirit, the word of God, in their hands. 
As faith in that word prevails, the power of temptation declines, and the 
Christian becomes victorious ; yea, more than a conqueror, through the 
blood of Jesus. 

§ ** Many are the afilictions of the righteous;" so Christian found it. He 
came off" conqueror in the Valley of Humiliation ; his wounds were healed by 
tlie tree of life, and his soul rejoiced in God his Saviour. But new trials 
awaited him; he expected them. He heard a dismal account of the vallejr 



iSr 



f)ESCRIPTION OF THE VALLEY OF DEATH. 12 X 

tian must needs go through it, because the way to the 
Celestial City lay through the midst of it. Now this 
valley is a very solitary place. The prophet Jeremiah 
thus describes it : " A wilderness, a land of deserts 
and of pits ; a land of drought, and of the shadow of 
death ; a land that no man," but a Christian, ** passeth 
through, and where no man dwelt. "(a) 

Now here Christian was worse put to it than in his 
iight with Apollyon ; as by the sequel you shall see. 



before him ; but as his way lay through it, no persuasions would stop his 
progress. 

The Valley of the Shadow of Death seems intended to represent a 
variation of inward distress, conflict and alarm, which arise from unbelief, 
and a supposition that God lias withdrawn the light of his countenance, 
and is accompanied by manifold apprehensions and temptations. Most 
Christians know something of this ; but perhaps very few are acquainted 
with that great degree of horror and fear which are liere represented. The 
words quoted from the prophet, describe the waste howling wilderness 
through which Israel journeyed to Canaan ; which typified the believer's 
pilgrimage through this world to heaven. Low spirited persons, of a 
gloomy turn, or under the power of some nervous disorder, are more 
usually exercised in this manner than others : for the subtle enemy knows 
how to take advantage of our weakness, and to impress (if possible) dis- 
tressing ideas on the mind, when it is most disposed to receive them. At 
such times the imagination is crowded with terrible ideas, every thing 
looks black and big with danger, reason itself is disturbed in its exercises, 
and no real relief can be gained till the gi'eat Physician be pleased to re- 
store health, both to body and soul. 

In addition to the foregoing, let it be observed, that we must not suppose 
our author intended to convey an idea, that all experience these trials in the 
same order and degree as Christian did. Evil spirits never fail, when not 
resisted by faith, to mislead, entangle, or perplex the soul, — and many, not 
knowing fully Satan's devices, are apt, in the trying houry to ascribe such a 
state wholly to desertion, which exceedingly enhances their distress: and as 
Bunyan had been greatly harassed in this way, he has given us a larger 
proportion of this shade than is met with by consistent believers, or than 
the scriptures by any means give us reason to expect : and probably he 
meant hereby to state the outlines of his own experience in the pilgrimage 
of Christian : all due honour must be given to the words of Christ ; who 
has declared, ** he that followeth me (Christ) shall not walk in darkness." 
Let lis be found in a constant exercise of faith in the great and precious 
promises, then shall we rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. 

{a) Jer. ii. 6. 
M 16 



i22 CHRISTIAN MEETS TWO MEN GOING BACK C 

CHAPTER X. 

Christian sorely distressed in the vailey of tut. 

SHADOW OF death, THROUGH WHICH, HOWEVER, 
HE PASSES UNHURT. 

I SiVW then in my dream, that when Christian was 
got on the borders of the Shadow of Death, there met 
him two men, children of them that brought up an 
evil report of the good land,(«) making haste to go 
back ;^ to whom Christian spake as follows : 

Whither are you going? 

They said, Back ! back ! and we would have you 
to do so too, if either life or peace is prized by you. 

Why, what's the matter ? said Christian. 

Matter ! said they : We were going that way as 
3^ou are going, and went as far as we durst ; and indeed 
we were almost past coming back : for had we gone 
a little further, we had not been here to bring the news 
to thee. * 

But what have you met with ? said Christian. 

Men. Why, we were almost in the valley of the 
Shadow of Death ;(6) but that by good hap we looked 
before us, and saw the danger before we came to it. 

But what have you seen ? said Christian. 

Men. Seen? Why the valley itself, which is as 
dark as pitch : we also saw there the hobgoblins, sa* 
tyrs, and dragons of the pit : w^e heard also in that val- 
ley a continual howling and yelling, as of people under 



* Such we frequently meet with ; who set out without a sense of sin, 
true taith, real hope, and sincere love to Christ ; and as sure as they go 
back from a profession, they bring up an evil report of the way to the 
kingdom of Christ. 

(a) Numb. xiii. (b) Psal. sUv. 19. 



THEY IN VAIN ATTEMPT TO DISCOURAGE HI:M. 12 



n 



unutterable misery, who there sat bound in affliction 
and irons ; and over that valley hang the discouraging 
clouds of confusion : death also doth always spread 
his wings over it. (a) In a word, it is every whit dread- 
ful, being utterly without order. 

Then said Christain, I perceive not yet, by what you 
have said, but that this is my way to the desired haven. 

Men. Be it thy way ; we will not choose it for ours.*- 

So they parted ; and Christian went on his way, but 
still with his sword drawn in his hand, for fear lest he 
should be assaulted. 

I saw then in my dream, so far as this valley reached 
there was on the right hand a very deep ditch ; that 
ditch is it into which the blind hath led the blind in all 
ages, and have both there miserably perished, f Again, 
behold, on the left hand there was a very dangerous 
quag, into which if even a good man falls he finds no 
bottom for his foot to stand on : into this quag king 
David once did fall, and had, no doubt, therein been 
smothered, had not he that is able plucked him out.(Z>) 

The pathway was here also exceeding narrow, and 
therefore good Christian was the more put to it; for 
Mdien he sought in the dark to shun the ditch on the 
one hand, he was ready to tip over into the mire on 
the other : also when he sought to escape the mire, 
without great carefulness he would be ready to fall in- 



* See what It is, wtien men are left to will and choose for themselves, they 
prefer their own ways, thoug-h it be to destruction : their wills are averse to 
God's, awd they clioose death in the error of their life ; but the faithful soul 
is under the reig-n of ^race, and he cliooses to obey the will of God, and to 
walk in the ways of God, though they are not pleasing' to flesh and blood : 
hence true faith is tried, and a mere empty profession made manifest. 

■\ The ditch on the rig-ht haad is error in principle, into which ihe blind 
(as to spiritual truths, blind .guides) lead the bhnd, who are not spiritu- 
ally enlightened. The ditch on the left hand means outward sms and wick- 
edness, which many fall into. Both are alike dangerous to pilgrims ; but 
the Lord will keep the feet of his saints. 1 Sam. ii. 9. 

(«) Jobiii. 5. X. 22. (6) Psal. l^fix. 14. 



124 THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 

to the ditch. * Thus he went on, and I heard him 
here sigh bitterly : for besides the danger mentioned 
above, the pathway was here so dark, that oft-times 
when he hfted up his foot to go forward, he knew not 
where, nor upon what, he should set it next. 

About the midst of the valley, I perceived the mouth 
of hell to be, and it stood also hard by the way -side : 
Now, thought Christian, what shall I do? And ever 
and anon the flame and smoke would come out in such 
abundance, with sparks and hideous noises (things that 
cared not for Christian's sword, as did ApoUyon be- 
fore,) that he was forced to put up his sword, and betake 
himself to another weapon, called all-prayer : so he cried, 
in my hearing, "O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my 
soul. "(a) Thus he went on a great while, yet still the 
flames would be reaching towards him : also he heard 
doleful voices, and rushing to and fro, so that some- 
times he thought he should be torn to pieces, or trodden 
down like mire in the streets. This frightful sight 
was seen, and these dreadful noises were heard by 
him for several miles together : and coming to a place 
where he thought he heard a company of fiiendsf com- 
ing forward to meet him, he stopt, and began to muse 
what he had best to do; sometimes he had half a 
thought to go back ; then again he thought he might be 
half way through the valley : he remembered also how 
he had already vanquished many a danger; and that 



* A tender conscience is as mucli afraid of corrupt principles, as of sin- 
ful practices. This manifests the sincerity of the soul, even when a Chris- 
tian is assaulted by the most violent and complicated temptations. 

f But it may be asked. Why doth the Lord suffer his children to be so 
afliicied ? It is for his glory ; it tries their faith in him, and excites prayer 
to him ; but his love abates not in the least towards them, since he lovingl}/^ 
inquires after tlicm : " Who is there among' you that feareth the Lord, and 
walketh in darkness, and liath no light r" Then he gives most precious ad- 
vice to tliem. " Let him trust in the Lord, and stay himself upon his God.'i 
Isa. 1. 10. ^ 

{fx) Psal. cxvi, 4, Ephes. vi- 18. 



christian's terror and perplexitv. 125 

the danger of going back might be much more than for 
to go forward. So he resolved to go on : yet the fiends 
seemed to come nearer and nearer: but when they 
were come even ahnost at him, he cried out with a most 
vehement voice, " I will walk in the strength of the 
Lord God;" so they gave back, and came no further. 

One thing I would not let slip : I took notice that 
now poor Christian was so confounded that he did not 
know his own voice ; and thus I perceived it : just 
when he was come over against the mouth of the burn- 
ing pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him, and 
stept up softly to him, and whisperingly suggested ma- 
ny grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought 
had proceeded from his own mind. This put Chris- 
tian more to it than any thing that he met with before, 
even to think that he should now blaspheme him that 
he loved so much before ; yet if he could have helped 
it he would not have done it : but he had not the dis- 
cretion either to stop his ears or to know from whence 
those blasphemies came.* 

When Christian had travelled in this disconsolate 
condition some considerable time, he thought he heard 
the voice of a man, as going before him, saying, 
*' Though I Avalk through the valley of the shadow of 
death I will fear no ill, for thou art with me.f(a) 

Then was he glad, and that for these reasons : first, 
because he gathered from thence, that some who fear- 
ed God were in this valley as well as himself: — se- 
condly, for that he perceived God was with them, 
though in that dark and dismal state : and why not, 
thought he, with me ? though by reason of the impedi- 



* Now here the conscience manifests its tenderness, by abhorring the evil 
of Satan's sug-gestions. O what nigh access has the enemy to our hearts ! 
Uut the Lord is also high, to save to the uttermost all who trust in liim : he 
will hear their cry, and save them. Psal. civ. 19. 

f The experience of other saints is very encouraging, for the soul finds 
ihiii others have gone before in dreadful and dreary paths. 

(«) Psal. xxiii. 4. 



126 KE IS CHEERED BY THE BREAKING OF DAY. 

ment that attends this place I cannot perceive it (a) — 
thirdly, for that he hoped (could he overtake them) 
to have company by and by. — So he went on, and call- 
ed to him that was before ; but he knew not what to 
answer ; for that he also thought himself to be alone. 
And by and by the day broke : then said Christian, 
He hath " turned the shado^v of death into the morn- 
ing."*-(^) 

Now morning being come he looked back, not out 
of desire to return, but to see by the light of the day 
what hazards he had gone through in the dark : so he 
saw more perfectly the ditch that was on the one harid, 
and the quag that was on the other ; also how narrow 
the way was which led betwixt them both : also now 
he saw the hobs;obiins, and satvrs, and drasrons of the 
pit, but all afar off, for after break of the day they came 
not nigh ; yet they were discovered to him, according 
to that which is written, '' He discovereth deep things 
out of darkness, and bringeth to light the shadow of 
death. "(c) 

Now was Christian much aiFected with his deliver- 
ance from all the dangers of his solitary way ; whic;h 
dimgers though he feared them more before, yet he 
saw them more clearly now, because the light of the 
day made them conspicuous to him. And about this 
time the sun was rising ; and this was another mercy 
to Christian : for you must note, that though the first 
part of the valley of the Shadow of Death was danger- 
ous ; yet this second part, which he was yet to go, 
was, if possible, far more dangerous :t for, from the 
place where he now stood, even to the end of the val- 



* To walk ill darkness, and not to be distressed for it, argues stupidity of 
sonl. To have tiic light of God's countenance shine upon us, and not to 
rejoice and be tliankful, is ini])Ossible. 

f Thifi means the raging- of persecution for the truth's sake, and those 
dreadi'ul deaths which the martyrs suffered in the cause of Christ and lii» 
glorious gospel and pi'ecious salvation. But here Christian had the blessed 
light of the glorious gospel. 

(a) Job ix. 1 1. (J?) Amos v. 8. (c) Job xii. 22. 



CHRISTIAN SEES THE DANGERS HE HAD ESCAPED. 127 

ley, the way was all along set so full of snares, traps, 
gins, and nets, here, and so full of pits, pitfalls, deep 
holes, and shelvings down, there ; that had it been 
dark, as it was when he came the first part of the Avay, 
had he had a thousand souls, they had in reason been 
cast away : but, as I said, just now the sun w^as rising. 
Then said he, " His candle shineth on my head, and 
by his light I go through darkness. "(«) 

In this light therefore he came to the end of the val- 
ley. Now I saw in my dream, that at the end of this 
valley lay blood, bones, ashes, and mangled bodies of 
men, even of pilgrims that had gone this way former- 
ly : and while I was musing what should be the reason, 
I spied a little before me a cave, where two giants. 
Pope and Pagan,* dwelt in old time ; by whose pow- 
er and tyranny the men, whose bones, blood, ashes, &c. 
lay there, were cruelly put to death. But by this place 
Christian went without much danger, whereat I some- 
what wondered ; but I have learnt since, that Pagan 
has been dead many a day ; and, as for the other, 
though he be yet alive, he is, by reason of age, and also 
of the many shrewd brushes that he met with in his 
younger days, grown so crazy and stiff in his joints, that 
he now can do little more than sit in his cave's mouth, 
grinning at pilgrims as they go by, and biting his nails 
because he cannot come at them. 

So I saw that Christian went on his way : yet, at the 
sight of the old man that sat in the mouth of the cave, 



* The inhabitants of this kins^dom are not thoug'ht to be in any immedi- 
ate danger, either from Pope or Pagan. Yet someLliini^ like the pliiloso- 
phical part of paganism seems to be rising from the dead, while popery 
grows more infirm than ever : and as, even by the confession of the late 
King" of Prussia, who was a steady friend to the philosophical infidels, 
** they are by no means favourable to general toleration ;'* it is not impro- 
bable (says the Rev. .Mr. Scott) but Pagan persecution may also in due time 
revive. — Our author, liowever, has described no otjier persecution than 
what Protestants in his time carried on against each other with very great 
alacrity. 

(a) Job xsix. 3. 



128 christian's song. 

he could not tell what to think ; especially because he 
spake to him, though he could not go after him, say- 
ing, " You will never mend till more of you be burn- 
ed." But he held his peace, and set a good face on it, 
and so went by and catched no hurt.^ Then sang 
Christian, 

" O world of wonders ! (I can say no less) 

That I should be preserved m that distress 

That I have met with here ! O blessed be 

That hand that from it hath deliver'd me I 

Dangers in darkness, devils, hell, and sin, 

Did compass me while I this vale was in : 

Yea, snares, and pits, and traps, and nets, did lie 

My path about, that worthless silly I 

Might have been catch'd, entangled, and cast down : 

But since I live, let Jesus wear the crown." 



* Nothing" shall harm us while we are followers of that which is good. 
This every faithful soul can testify — for the Lord will give grace and glory, 
and no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Such 
are the inestimable blessings consequent on steadfastly fighting the good 
fight of faith. — The real Christian, amidst all his temptations, shall hold on 
his way, while his whole soul sings — " Let Jesus wear the crown.'* 

Then let my soul arise. 

And tread the tempter down : 

My captain leads me fortli 

To conquest and a crown. 
A feeble saint shall win the day. 
The' death and hell obstruct the way. 

Watt?. 



CHRISTIAN OVERTAKES FAITHFUL. 129 



CHAPTER Xie 

CiiRTSl'IAN MEETS WITH AN EXCELLENT COMPANION Ijf 
FAITHFUL, WITH WHOM HE HAS MUCH PROFITABLE 
CONVERSATIONo 

!^ OW as Christian went on his way, he came to a 
little ascent, which was cast up on purpose that pil- 
grims might see before them.^ Up there, therefore, 
Christian, went ; and looking forward, he saw Faithful 
before him upon his journey. Then said Christian 
aloud, Ho, ho ! so ho ! stay, and ** I will be your com- 
panion." At that Faithful looked behind him ; to 
whom Christian cried, '' Stay, stay, till I come to you ;'^ 
but Faithful answered, ** No, I am upon my life, and 
the avenger of blood is behind me.^f 

At this Christian was somewhat moved, and putting 
to all his strengdi, he quickly got up with Faithful, and 
did also over-run him ; so the last was first. Then did 
Christian vain- gloriously smile, because he had gotten 
the start of his brother : but not taking good heed td 
his feet, he suddenly stumbled and fell, and could not 
rise again until Faithful came up to help him. j 

Then I saw in my dream they went very lovingly 
on together, and had sweet discourse of all things that 
had happened to them in their pilgrimage : and thus 
Christian began : 

My honoured and well-beloved brother Faithful, I 
am glad tliat I have overtaken you ; and that God has 



* The Lord cares for his people : he has cast up, by means of his word 
ind promises, many a little hill of prospect and c"bmfoit in their way, that 
tliey may look forward with pleasure and delight. 

f It is good to beware and be jealous of what company we fall into. Ma- 
ny have joined hartful professors instead of profitable pili^rims. 

t How soon doth spiritual pride shew its cursed head, in thinking we 
have outstripped another ! Then dang-er is near, a full is at hand, if we hum- 
ble not ourselves before the Lord. The very pexsoa'iS hand we need to help 
U9, whom we had fre<jueatly undervalued. 

17 



130 THEY CONVERSE ABOUT THEIR CITY. 

SO tempered our spirits that we can walk as companions 
in this so pleasant a path.^- 

Faith. I had thought, dear friend, to have had 
your company quite from our town, but you did get 
the start of me ; wherefore I w^as forced to come thus 
much of the way alone. 

Chr. How long did you stay in the city of De- 
struction, before you set out after me on your pilgrim- 
age ? 

Faith. Till I could stay no longer ;f for there was 
great talk presently after you were gone out, that our 
city would, in a short time, with fire from heaven be 
burned down to the QTound. 

Chr. What ! and did your neighbours talk so? 

Faith. Yes, it was for a while in every body's 
mouth. 

Chr. Vv^hat ! and did no more of them but you come 
out to escape the danger ? 

Faith. Though there was, as I said, a great talk 
thereabout, yet I do not think they did firmly believe 
it. For, in the heat of the discourse, I heard some of 
them deridingly speak of you and your desperate jour- 
Hey ; for so they called this your pilgrimage. But I 
did believe, and do still, that the end of our city will 
be with fire and brimstone from above ; and therefore 
I have made my escape. 

Chr. Did vou hear no talk of nei^^hbour Pliable ? 

Faith. Yes, Christian, I heard that he followed you 
till he came to the slough of Despond : where, as some 
Suid, he fell in ; but he would not be known to have so 
done ; but I am sure he was soundly bedaubed with 
that kind of dirt. 

Chr. And what said the neighbours to him ? *^ 



* This episode, so to speak, with others of the same kind, g-ives our au- 
thor a happ} advantag'e of varying* the characters and experiences of Chris- 
tians, as found in real life : and of thus avoiding" the common fauU of ma- 
king" one man a standard for others, in the circumstances of his religi >us 
prog-ress. 

J This is the case with every pilpim Fiom the powerful convictions 
which he has from above, of liis state and danger, he is urged by necessity 
to flee from the \vvaih to come. 



CHRISTIAN INQUIRES CONCERNING PLIABLE. 13 J 

Faith. He liath since his going back been had 
greatly in derision, and that among all sorts of people ; 
some do mock and despise him, and sciuxe will any set 
him on work. He is now seven times worse than if he 
had never gone out of the city. 

Chr. But w^hy should they be so set against him, 
since they also despised the way that he forsook ? 

Faith. O, they say, "Hang him; he is a turn- 
coat ! he v/as not true to his profession :" I think God 
has stirred up even his enemies to hiss at him, and 
make him a proverb, because he hath forsaken the 
way. (a) 

Chr. Had you no talk with him before you came 
out? 

Faith. I met him once in the streets, but he leered 
away on the other side, as one ashamed of what he had 
done : so I spake not to him.* 

Chr. Well, at my first setting out, I had hopes of 
that man ; but now I fear he will perish in the over- 
throw of the city : for '' it hath happened to him accord- 
ing to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his vomit 
again ; and the sow that w^as washed, to her wallowing in 
the mire. "(6) 

Faith. They are my fears of him too: but wha 
can hinder that which will be ? 

Well, neighbour Faithful, said Christian, let us 
leave him, and talk of things that more immediately 
concern ourselves. Tell me now what you have met 
with in the way as you came : for I know }'ou have 
met with some things, or else it may be writ for a 
wonder. 

Faith. I escaped the slough that I perceived you 
fell into, and got up to the gate without that dan- 



* Apostates fi-om the profession of Christ cannot look his followeis bold' 
ly in the face, some convictions will follow them, till their hearts are har- 

j.enc(.l, and their consciences seared. 

■e 

ia) Jer. xxix. 18, 19. (Z») 2 Pet. ii. 2Z 



132 FAITHFUL RELATES HOW HE MET WITH WANTON> 

ger ;^ only I met with one, whose name was Wanton^ 
that had like to have done me a mischief. 

Chr. It was well you escaped her net : Joseph was 
hard put to it by her, and he escaped her as you did ; 
but it had like to have cost him his life. (a) But what 
did she say to you ? 

Faith. You cannot think, but that you know some- 
thing, what a flattering tongue she had ; she lay at me 
hard to turn aside with her, promising me all manner of 
content.! 

Chr. Nay, she did not promise you the content of a 
good conscience. 

Faith, You know that I mean all carnal and fleshly 
content. 

Chr. Thank God you have escaped her : " the ab- 
horred of the Lord shall fall into her ditch. ''(^) 

Faith. Nay, I know not whether I did wholly escape 
her or no. J 

Chr. Why, I trow you did not consent to her de- 
sires. 

Faith. No, not to defile myself; for I remembered 
an old writing that I had seen, which said, " her steps 
take hold on hell. "(c) So 1 shut mine eyes, because I 
would not be bewitched with her looks : — then she 
railed on me, and I went my way. ^^ 

Chr. Did you meet with no other assault as you 
came? 

Faith. When I came to the foot of the hill called 
Difficulty, I met with a very aged man, who asked 



* Thoug'h no sinner will flee from the wrath to come to Christ for salva- 
tion, till the Spirit has convinced of sin, and deserved wrath and destruc- 
tion : yet all do not fall under the Uli.e despondency of 3oul, at first setting 
out. 

f Fleshly lusts will plead hard, and promise fair. Happy those who look 
to the Lord for power against them, and eye his precious promises, that 
we may esc'ipe them 

t Ajealous conscience is grieved for temptations of the flesh to lust, and 
can hardly quit itse'if of g'uilt. This makes the cieansinj^ blood oi Christ 
exceeding precious, while the soul is sunk into humility and self-lothing. 

(or) Gen. sxslx. 1 1—13. (^) Prov. xsii. 14 (c) Pi-ov. v. 5. Job sxx.i. ,1 . 



AND ALSO WITH ADAM THE FIRST. 13 



o 



me what I was, and whither bound ? I told him that' 
I was a pilgrim to the Celestial City. Then sdd the 
old man, Thoii lookest like an honest fellow ; wilt 
thou be content to dwell with me, for the wages that 
I shcill give thee ? Then I asked him his name, and 
where he dwelt ? He said, His n^me was Adam the firs:,* 
and that he dwelt in the town of Deceit. (a) I asked him 
then what was his work ? and whcit the wages he 
would give ? He told me, that his work was many de- 
lights ; and his wages, that I should be his heir at last* 
I further asked what house he kept, and what other 
servants he had ? So he told me, that his house was 
maintained with all the dainties in the world , and that 
his servants were those of his own begetting. Then I 
asked how manv children he had ? He said, that he 
held but three daughters, " the Lust of the Fleshy the 
Lust of the Eyes^ and the Pride of Life ;{b) and that 
I should marry them if I would. Then I asked how 
long time he would have me to live widi him ? And 
he told me, as long as he lived himself. 

Chr. Well, and what conclusion came the old man 
and you to at last ? 

- Faith. Why, at first I found myself somewhat in- 
clinable to go with the man, for I thought he spake 
very^air ; but looking in his forehead as I talked with 
him, I saw there written, *' Put off the old man with 
his deeds."! 

Chr. And how then? 

Faith. Then it came burning hot into my mind, 
whatever he said, and however he flattered, when he 
got me home to his house, he would sell me for a slave. 
So I bid him forbear to talk, for I would not come 
near the door of his house. Then he reviled me, 
and told me, that he would send such a one after me^ 



* That is original sin, and inward corruption, which has infected our 
whole nature. 

-j- Blessed is the man who does not consult with flesh and blood, but look* 
to and obeys what is written by the Lord. 

(rt) Ephcs. iv. 22. (Jy) \ John ii. 16, 



134 ESCAPED HIM WITH DIFFICULTY AND PAIN. 

that sliould make my way bitter to my soul. So I 
turned to go away from him ; but just as I turned my- 
self to go thence, I felt him take hold of my flesh, and 
gave me such a deadly twitch back, that I thought he 
had pulled part of me after himself:*- this made me 
cry, "O wretched man! "(a) — So I went on my way 
up the hill. 

Now, when I had got about half way up I looked 
behind me, and saw one coming after me, swift as the 
wind ; so he overtook me just about the place where 
the settle stands. 

Justi there, said Christian, did I sit down to rest 
me ; but being overcome with sleep, I there lost this 
roll out of mv bosom. 

Faith. But, good brother, hear me out : so soon as 
the man overtook me, he was but a word and a blow ; 
for down he knocked me, and kiid me for dead. But 
vrhen I w^as a little come to myself again, I asked 
him wherefore he served me so? He said, because of 
thy secret inclining to Adam the first :f and with 
that he struck me another deadly blow on the breast, 
and beat me down backward : so I lay at his foot as 
dead as before. When I came to myself again I cri- 
ed him mercv : but he said, I know not how to show 
mercy : and with that knocked me down again. He 
had doubtless made an end of me but that one came 
by and bid him forbear. 

Chr. Who was it that bid him forbear ? 

Faith. I did not know him at first, but as he went 
by I perceived the holes in his hands and in his side : then 



* Though orl^nal sin is liard to be borne, it is ^ood to be sensible of its 
evil. Thou;^h it makes us cry, " O wretched !" yet it tends to keep up a 
sense of our want of Ciirist, and oftlie worth of him, and that nothing- less 
tha:i being- delivered by the b'.ood of Christ, v/ill perfect our salvation. 

t This is afterwards explained to be Moses, or the law of God. Think 
not that the law rcabheth only to outward actions : uay, but it reacheth to 
the thoughts and intents of the heart. It knocks a man's hopes down and 
curses him to death, even only for secret inclining- to sin. So strict, so spi- 
ritual, so pure, is the lioly law of God. Hence none but seJf-righteons, vain- 
g-lorious souls can place the least confidence in their obedience to the law 
and trust in their own rig-hteousncss for justification. 

(a) Rom. vii. 24 



jPASfiEDTHE: HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: :\fET DlSCONTF.TvT. 135 

I concluded that he wiis our Lord. So I went up the 
hill. 

Chr. The man that overtook you was Moses. He 
spareth none, neither knoweth he how to show mercy to 
those that transgress his law. 

Faith. I know it very well; it was not the first 
time that he has met with me. It was he that came to 
me when I dwelt securely at home, and that told 
me he would burn my house over my head if I staid 
there* 

Chr. But did you not see the house that stood there 
on the top of the hill on the side of which Moges met 
you? ^ ^ 

Faith, Yes, and the lions too, before I came at it: 
— but, for the lions, I think they v/ere asleep ; for it 
was about noon , — and because I had so much of the 
day before me, I passed by the Porter, and c^ame down 
the hill. 

Chr. He told me, indeed, that he saw you go by ; 
but I wish you had called at the house, for they would 
have showed you so many rarities, that you would 
scarce have forgot them to the day of your death. But 
pray tell mc, did you meet nobody in the valley of 
Humility ? 

Faith. Yes, I met with one Discontent, who would 
willingly have persuaded me to go back again with him : 
his reason was, for that the vallev was altos:ether with- 
out honour. He told me moreover, that there to go 
was the way to disoblige all my friends, as Pride, Ar- 
rogancy, Self- Conceit, Worldly -Glory, with others, who 
he knew, as he said, would be very much offended if I 
made such a fool of myself as to ^vade through this 
valley, t 



* That sinner who never had a Uireatenlng- fiery visit from Moses, is yet 
asleep in his sins, and secure in his soul, though under the curse and wrath 
of t!ie fiery law of God 

I Here observe tlie different experience of Christians, in reg-ard to the 
enemies they meet with. We do not re^d tli*t Ciu-istiau was attacked by 



136 WAS ASSAULTED BV SHAME: HIS IMPORTUNITY/ 

Chr. Well, and how did you answer him? 

Faith. I told him, That although all these that he 
named might claim kindred of me, and that rightly, (for 
indeed they were my relations according to the flesh); 
yet since I became a pilgrim, they have disowned me, 
as I also have rejected them ; and therefore they are to 
me now no more than if they had never been of my 
lineage. I told him, moreover, that, as to this valley, 
he had quite misrepresented the thing ; for '' before 
honour is humility," " and a haughty spirit before a 
HiU." Therefore, said I, 1 had rather go through this 
valley J:o the honour that was so accounted by the 
wisest,*^ than choose that which he esteemed most wor- 
thy our affections. 

Chr. Met you Vvdth nothing else in that valley? 

Faith. Yes, I met with Shame ; but^ of all the men 
that 1 met with in my pilgrimage^ hCj I think, bears 
the wrong name The other would be said nay, after a 
little argumentation and somewhat else : but that bold- 
faced Shame would never have done. 

Chr. Why, what did he say to you? 

Faith. What ! v/hy he objected against religion it- 
self; he said. It was a pitiful, low, sneaking business 
for a man to mind religion ; he said, that a tender con-^ 
science w^as an unmanly thing ; and that for a man to 
watch over his words and ways, so as to tie up himself 
from that hectoring liberty that the brave spirit of the 
tim^es accustomed themselves unto, would make him 
the ridicule of the times. He objected also, that but 
few mighty, rich, or wise, were ever of my opinion ; 
nor any of them neither, before they were persuaded to 
be fools, and to be of a voluntary fondness to venture 
the loss of all for nobody knows w4iat.(a) He more-^ 



Discontent, as Faithful was : but yet Faithful reasoned, and got the better 
of this enemy. Nfany pilgrims go on much more contented than otlicrs. 
The reasoning of faith will ever prevail over that discontent which springs' 
from pride, arrogaucy, self-conceit, and a thirst for worldly glory, riches^ 
and pleasure. 

(a) John vii. 48. 1 Cor. i. 26. iii. 18. Phil. iii. 7—9^. 



HIS ARGUMENTfe ANSWERED BY FAITHFUL. 137 

bver objected the base and low estate and condition of 
those that were chiefly the pilgrims of the times in 
which they lived ; also their ignorance, and want of 
understanding in all natural science. Yea, he did hold 
me to it at that rate also, about a great many more 
things than here I relate ; as, that it was a shame to sit 
whining and mourning under a sermon, and a shame to 
come sighing and groaning home : that it was a shame 
to ask my neighbour forgivencbs for petty faults, or to 
make restitution where I have t^ken from any. He 
said also, that religion made a man grow strange to the 
great, because of a few vices^ which are called by finer 
names ; and made him own and respect the base, be- 
cause of the same religious fraternity : and is not this, 
said he, a shame ?* 

Chr. And what did you say to him ? 

Faith. Say ! why I could not tell what to say at 
first. Yea, he put me so to it, that my blood came 
up in my face : even this Shame fetched it up, and had 
almost beat me quite off. But at last 1 began to con- 
sider that *' that which is highly esteemed among men 
is had in abomination with God."(«) And I thought 
again, this Shame tells me what men are ; but it tells 
me nothing what God, or the word of God is. And I 
thought moreover, that at the day of doom we shall 
not be doomed to death or life, according to the hectoring 
spirits of the world, but according to the wisdom and 
law of the Highest. Therefore, thought I, what God 
says is best, though all the men in the world are against 
it : seeing then that God prefers his religion ; seeing 



* Nothing' ean be a stronger proof that we have lost the image of God, 
than that shame which is natural to us, concerning the things of God This, 
joined to the shame of man, is a very powerful enemy to God's truths, Christ's 
glory, and our soul's comfort Better at once get ridof our apprehensions, 
by declaring boldly for Cliristand his cause, than stand shivering on the brink 
of profession, ever dreading the loss of our good name and rej^utation: for 
Christ says, (awful words) " Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my 
words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of 
man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father. Mark viii. 38. 
It is one thing to be attacked by shame : and another to be conquered by it 

(a) Luke xvi. 15. 

13 



138 iPAITHFUL SHAKES OFl? SHAME : 

God prefers a tender conscience ; seeing they tliat 
make themselves fools for the kingdom of heaven are 
wisest; and that the poor man that loveth Christ is 
richer than the greatest man in the world that hates 
him — Shame, depart, thou art an enemy to my salva- 
tion ; shall I entertain thee against my sovereign Lord ? 
how then shall I look him in the face at his coming ? 
Should I now be ashamed of his ways and servants, 
how can I expect the blessing ?(c5) But indeed this 
Shame was a bold villain ; I could scarce shake him 
out of my company : yea, he would be haunting of 
me, and continually whispering me in the ear, with 
some one or other of the infirmities that attend reli- 
gion : but at last I told him, it was but in vain to at- 
tempt further in this business ; for those things that he 
disdained, in those did I see most glory : and so at 
last I got past this importunate one. And when I had 
shaken him oif, then I began to sing : 

" The trials that those men do meet withal. 
That are obedient to the heavenly call, 
Are manifold and suited to the flesh, 
And come, and come, and come a^ain afresh ; 
That now, or some times else, we by them may 
Be taken, overcome, and cast away. 
O let the pilgrims, let the pilgrims, then 
Be vigilant, and quit themselves like men." 

Chr. I am glad, my brother, that thou didst with- 
stand this villain so bravely ; for of all, as thou sayest, 
I think he has the wrong name : for he is so bold as 
to follov/ us in the streets, and to attempt to put us to 
shame before all men ; that is, to make ' us ashamed of 
that which is good.* But if he was not himself au- 
dacious, he would never attempt to do as he does : but 
let us still resist him ; for, notwithstanding all his bra- 



* Chrisuian experiences perfectly agree in regard to shame. No one ever 
set out for glory, but he was attacked by shame in the way. Giving way to 
shaiUe, prevents much glory being brought to our Jesus, who is not ashamed 

(a) Mark viii. 38. 



HAD SUNSHINE THROUGH THE VALLEYS. 139 

vadoes, he promotcth the fool, and none else. *' The 

wise shall inherit glory/' said Solomon ; " but shame 

shall be the promotion of fools. "(^) 

Faith. I think we must cry to him, for help against 

Shame, that would have us be valiant for truth upon 

the earth. 

Chr. You say true : but did you meet nobody else 

in that valley ? 

Faith. No, not I ; for I had sunshine all the rest 

of the way through that, and also through the valley of 

the Shadow of Death. 

Chr. It was well for you; I am sure it fared far 
otherwise with me : I had for a long season, as soon 
as almost I entered into that valley, a dreadful combat 
with that foul fiend ApoUyon ; yea, I thought verily 
he would have killed me, especially when he got me 
down, and crushed me under him, as if he would have 
crushed me to pieces : for as he threw me, my sword 
fiew out of my hand ; nay, he told me he was sure of 
me ; but I cried to God, and he heard me, and deli- 
vered me out of ^11 my troubles. Then I entered into 
the valley of the Shadow of Death, and had no light 
for almost half the way through it. I thought I should 
have been killed there over and over : but at last day 
brake, and the sun rose, and I went through that which 
was behind with far more ease and quiet. 



to call us brethren Heb. ii. 11. Alas ! we are prone to be ashamed of 
Christ, of his words, and of his ways, which should be our greatest g-lory. 
G let us cry for more boldness for Christ, our best friend, that shame may 
hldQ his pitiful head, and skulk away from us as our greatest cnem}', 

Asham'd of Jesus ! yes we may 
When we've no sin to wash away, 
No tears to wipe, no joys to crave. 
Or no immortal soul to save. 

(a) Prov. lii. 35, 



140 THEY OVERTAKE TALKATIVE: HI^ 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE TICTURE OF AN EMPTY PROFESSOR ACCURATELY 
DRAWN, IN THE CHARACTER OF TALKATIVE, SON 
OF MR, SAY-WELL OF PRATING-ROW. 

JMOREOVER I saw ill my dream, that as they went 
on, Faithful, as he chanced to look on one side, 
saw a man, whose name is Talkative, walking at 
a distance besides them ;* for in this place there was 
room enough for them all to walk. He was a tall man, 
and something more comely at a distance than at hand. 
To this rr>an Faithful addressed himself in this man- 
ner : 

Friend, whither away? are you going to the hea- 
venly country ? 

Talk. I am going to the same place. 

Faith. That is well; then I hope we may have 
your good company. 

Talk. With a very good will, will I be your com^ 
panion. 

Faith. Come on then, and let us go together, and 
let us spend our time in discoursing of things that are 
profitable. 

Talk. To talk of things that are good, to me is 
very acceptable, with you or with any other ; and I 
am glad that I have met with those that incline to so 
good a work ; for, to speak the truth, there are but 
few that care thus to spend their time as they are in 
their travels ; but choose much rather to be speaking 
of things to no profit : and this hath been a trouble to 
me. 

Faith. That is indeed a thing to be lamented : for 
what thing so worthy of the use of the tongue and 



* There is a great difference between havinj^ notions in the head, and 
being- able to talk of doctrines of grace, and experiencing the grace an4 
power (jf tboae doctrines in the heart. Look to yourselves. 2 John B. 



PLAUSIBLE CONVERSATION >VITH FAITHFUL. 141 

mouth of men on earth, as are the things of the God of 
heaven ? 

Talk. I Uke you wonderful well, for your sayings 
are full of conviction : — and, I will add, what things arc 
60 pleasant, and what so profitable, as to talk of the 
things of God ? 

What things so pleasant ? that is, if a man hath any 
delight in things that are wonderful : for instance, if a 
man doth delight to talk of the history or the myster)- 
of things ; or if a man doth love to talk of miracles, 
wonders, or signs, — where shall he find things recorded 
so delightful, and so sweetly penned, as in the holy 
scripture ? 

Faith. That's true: but to be profited by such 
things in our talk be our chief design. 

Talk. That is it that I said; for to talk of such 
things is most profitable : for by so doing a man may 
get knowledge of many things ; as, of the vanity of 
earthly things, and the benefit of things above. Thus in 
general : but more particularly, by this a man may 
learn the necessity of the new birth ; the insufficiency 
of our works ; the need of Christ's righteousness, &:c. 
Besides, by this a man may learn what it is to repent, 
to believe, to pray, to suffer, or the like ; by this also a 
man may learn what are the great promises and conso- 
lations of the gospel, to his own comfort. Further, by 
this a man may learn to refute false opinions, to vindi- 
cate the truth, and also to instruct the ignorant.^' 

Faith. All this is true, and glad am I to hear these 
things from you. 

Talk, Alas ! the want of this is the cause that so 
few understand the need of faith, and the necessity of a 
work of grace in their soul, in order to eternal life ; 



* Is not here the very standard of orthodoxy ? Hence observe, a mere 
professor may learn, Uke a parrot, to talk of sound doctrines, and may 
have a sound judgment concerning them ; while his heart is rotten, as to 
any experience of them, love to tliem, and the power and influence of them 
upon his affections and his life. Many own Christ for their master r.ow, 
whom as their Judge he will condemn hereafter- 



142 FAITHFUL BEGUILED BY TALKATIVE. 

but ignorantly live in the works of the law, by the 
which a man can by no means obtain the kingdom of 
heaven. 

Faith. But, by 3'our leave, heavenly knowledge 
of these is the gift of God; no man attaineth to 
them by human industry, or only by the talk of 
them. 

Talk. All that I know veiy well : for a man can re- 
ceive nothing except it be given him from heaven ; all 
is of grace, not of works : 1 could give you an hundred 
scriptures for the confirmation of this. 

Well then, said Faithful, what is that one thing that 
we shall at this time found our discourse upon ? 

Talk. What you will : I will talk of things heavenly 
or things earthly ; things moral or things evangelical ; 
things sacred or things profane ; things past or things 
to come ; things foreign or things at home ; things more 
essential or things circumstantial ; provided that all be 
done to our profit. 

Now did Faithful begin to wonder ; and stepping to 
Christian (for he walked all this while by himself) he 
said to him, but softly, What a brave companion have 
"we got ! surely this man will make a very excellent 
pilgrim. 

At this Christian modestly smiled, and said. This 
man, with \vhom you are so taken, will beguile with 
this tongue of his twenty of them who know him 
not. 

Faith. Do you know him then ? 

Cke. Know him ? ves, better that he knows him- 
self. 

Faith. Pray what is he ? 
. Chr. His name is Talkative; he dwelleth in our 
town ; I wonder that }'ou should be a stranger to him ; 
only I consider that our town is large. 

Faith. Whose son is he ? and whereabouts doth he 
dwell ? 

Chr. He is the son of one Say- well, he dwelt in 
Pniting-row ; and is known, of all that are acquainted 



CHRISTIAN KNOWS AND EXPOSES HIM. 143 

with him, by the name of Talkative in Prating- row ; 
and, notwithstanding his fine tongue, he is but a soiTy 
fellow.^ 

Faith. Well, he seems to be a very pretty man. 

Chr. That is, to them that have not a thorough ac- 
quaintance with him ; for he is best abroad, near home 
he is ugly enough : your saying, that he is a pretty 
man, brings to my mind what I have observed in the 
work of the painter, whose pictures show best at a dis- 
tance, but very near more unpleasing. 

Faith. I am ready to think you do but jest, be- 
cause you smiled. 

Chr. God forbid that I should jest (though I smi- 
led) in this matter, or that I should accuse any falsely. — 
I will give you a further discovery of him : this man is for 
any company, and for any talk ; as he talketh now with 
you, so will he talk when he is on the ale -bench ; and 
the more drink he hath in his crown, the more of these 
things he hath in his mouth : religion hath no place in 
his heart, or house, or conversation ; all he hath lieth 
in his tongue, and his religion is to make a noise there- 
with.! 

Faith. Say you so? then I am in this man great- 
ly deceived. 

Chr. Deceived! you may be sure of it : remem- 
ber the proverb, "They say, and do not:" but 
*'the kingdom of God is not in w^ord, but in pow- 
er."(a) He talketh of prayer, of repentance, of faith,, 
and of the new-birth ; but he knows but only to talk of 



* Are we not forbid to speak evil of any man ? Titus iii. 2. Is not 
Christian guilty of tliis ' No ; for where the glory of God, and honour of 
the gospel is at stake, and there is danger of a brother's being deceived by 
a mere talkative, louse, wicked professor, here it is right, and tiie nature of 
things require it, that we should detect and expose such in a becoming 
spirit. 

f Such professors there are now, as there always were. The blessed 
cause is wounded by them, and the most glorious truths through them are 
brought into contempt. There is more hurt to be got by them, than from 
the utterly rgnorant and profane. Shun and avoid such. 

(a) Matt, xxiii. 3. X Cor. iv. 20. 



144 I'alkative's true character. 

them. I have been in his family, and have observed 
him both at home and abroad ; and I kno^v what I say 
of him is the truth. His house is as empty of reH- 
gion as the white of an egg is of savour. There is 
there neither prayer, nor sign of repentance for sin ; 
yea, the brute, in his kind serves God far better than 
he. He is the very stain, reproach, and shame, of re- 
ligion, to all that know him :[a) it can hardly have a 
good word in all that end of the town where he dwells, 
through him. Thus say the common people that 
know him — " A saint abroad, and a devil at home.'* 
His poor family finds it so : he is such a churl, such a 
railer at, and so unreasonable with his servants, that 
they neither know how to do for, or speak to him. 
Men that have any dealings with him say it is better to 
deal with a Turk than with him ; for fairer dealings 
they shall have at his hands. This Talkative, if it be 
possible, will go beyond them, defraud, beguile, and 
over- reach them. Besides, he brings up his sons to 
follow his steps ; and if he finds in any of them a *'yoo/- 
ish timorotis?iess,^^ (for so he calls the first appearance 
of a tender conscience,) he calls them fools and block- 
heads, and by no means will employ them in much, or 
speak to their commendations before others. For my 
part, I am of opinion that he has by his wicked life 
caused many to stumble and fall ; and will be, if God 
prevents not, the ruin of many more.* 

Faith. Well, my brother, I am bound to believe 
you ; not only because you say you know him, but al- 



• Read this and tremble, ye whose profession lies only on your tongue, 
but who never experienced the love and grace of Christ in your souls. O 
how do you trifle with the grace of God, and with the holy word of truth ! 
O what an awful account have you to give hereafter to a holy, heart-search- 
ing God ! Ye true pilgrims of Jesus, read this, and give glory to your Lord, 
for saving you from resting in barren notions, and taking up with talking of 
truths ; and that he has given you to know the truth in its power, to em- 
brace it in your heart, and to live and walk under its sanctifying influenseg^ 
Who made you to differ ? 

(a) Rom. ii. 23, 24 



DTFFERENdE BETWEEN SAYING AND DOING. 145 

SO because like a Christian you make your reports of 
men. For I cannot think that you speak those things 
of ill-will, but because it is even so as you say. 

Chr. Had I knowai him no more than yoUj I might 
perhaps have thought of him as at the first you did : 
yea, had he received this report at their hands only, 
that are enemies to leligion, I should have thought it 
had been a slander^ (a lot that often falls from bad men's 
mouths, upon good men's names and professions : ) 
but all these things, yea, and a great many more as bad, 
of my own knowledge^ I can prove him guilty of. 
Besides, good men are ashamed of him ; they can nei- 
ther call him brother nor friend : the very naming of 
him among them, makes them blush, if they know himo 

Faith. Well, I see that saying and doing are two 
things, and hereafter I shall better observe this distinc- 
tion. 

Chr. They are two things indeed, and are as diverse 
as are the soul and the body ; for, as the body without 
the soul is but a dead carcase, so saying, if it be alone, 
is but a dead carcase also. The soul of religion is 
the practic part: ''pure religion and undefiled, be- 
fore God and the Father, is this : to visit the father- 
less and widows in their affliction, and to keep him^ 
self unspotted from the world."(a) This Talkative is 
not aware of : he thinks that hearing and saying will 
make a good Christian ; and thus he deceiveth his own 
soul. Hearing is but as the sowing of the seed ; talk- 
ing is not sufficient to prove that fruit is indeed in the 
heart and life: and let us assure ourselves that at the 
day of doom men shall be judged according to their 
fruits \{b) it will not be said then, *' Did you believe ?" 
but, ** Were you doers-, or talkers only ?* and accord- 



* Though sinners are redeemed, and their sins washed away by the blood 
of Christ — though by faith they are fully justified, though the gitt of God i^ 

(«) James i. 22—27 {b) Matt- xiii. 23 

19 



146 MERE TALKERS, DiN CLEAN. 

ingly shall they be judged. The end of the world is 
compared to our harvest ; and you know men at har- 
vest regard nothing but fruit. Not that any thing can 
be accepted that is not of faith ; but I speak this to 
show you how insignificant the profession of Talkative 
will be at that day. 

Faith. This brings to my mind that of Moses, by 
which he described the beast that is clean :(g)- — he is 
such an one that parteth the hoof, and cheweth the cud ; 
not that parteth the hoof only, or that cheweth the cud 
only. The hare cheweth the cud, but yet is unclean, 
because he parteth not the hoof. And this truly re- 
sembleth Talkative ; he cheweth the cud, he seeketh 
knowledge ! he cheweth upon the word ; but he di- 
videth not the hoof, he parteth not with the way of 
sinners ; but, as the hare, he retaineth the foot of a dog 
or bear, and therefore he is unclean. 

Chr. You have spoken, for aught I know, the tme 
gospel sense of those texts. And I will add another 
thing : Paul calleth some men, yea, and those great 
talkers too, ^' sounding brass and tinkling cymbals ;" 
that is, as he expounds them in another place, " things 
without life giving sound. "(^) '* Things without life ;" 
that is, without the true faith and grace of the gospel 5 
and consequently things that shall never be placed in 
the kingdom of heaven among those that are the chil- 
dren of life, though their sound, by their talk, be as- 
it were the tongue or voice of an angel. 

Faith. Well, I was not so fond of his company at 
first, but am as sick of it now* What shall we do to 
be rid of him ? 



eternal life, throug'h Jesus Christ : yet none are partakers of these invaluable 
blessing's, but those who have living- faith in Christ. And this faith, whicli is 
the g-ift of God, manifests itself by its obedience to the will of God, and in 
Ijtinerin,^ forth fruits to the glory of God. Therefore, let no one deceive 
himself: for faith without works is dead, and a dead faith never begets 
living- hope upon a risen Saviour : nor will it avail, when he shall appear as 
the J-udg-e. 

(a) Lev. y^u Deut. :siv, ih) Cor. xiii. J— 3- xiv. T. 



PAITHFUL's aiTESTlON TO TALKATIVE. 147 

Chr. Take my advice, and do as I bid you, and 
you shall find that he will soon be sick of your com- 
pany too, except God shall touch his heart and turn 
it. 

Faith. What would you have me to do ? 

Chr. Why, go to him and enter into some serious 
discourse about the power of religion ; and ask him 
plainly, when he has approved of it, (for that he will,) 
wiiether this thing be set up in his heart, house, or con- 
versation ?* 

Then Faithful stepped forward again, and said to 
Talkative, Come, what cheer ? how is it now ? 

Talk. Tiiimk you, well ; I thought we should have 
had a great deal of talk by this time. ^ 

Faith. Well, if you will, we will fall to it now ; and 
since you left it with me to state the question, let it be 
this : How doth the saving grace of God discover itself 
when it is in the heart of man ? 

Talk. I perceive, then, that our talk must be about 
the power of things : well, it is a very good question, 
and I shall be willing to answer you : and take my an- 
swer in brief thus : — first, where the grace of God is in 
the heart, it causeth there a g^reat outcry against sin. — 
Secondly, — 

Faith. Nay, hold, let us consider of one at once : I 
think you should rather say, It shows itself by inclining 
the soul to abhor its sin. 

Talk. Why, what difference is there between cry- 
ing out against, and abhorring of, sin ? 

Faith. Oh! a great deal. A man may cry out 
against sin, of policy, but he cannot abhor it, but by 
virtue of a godly antipathy against it : I have heard 



* Without this, all is empty notion, mere sound, and unavailing- profes- 
sion Men only take up fancy for faith ; the form of godliness instead of 
the power : and the old nature is dressed up in the specious appearance 
of new pretensions. True faith will ever shew itself by its fruits : a real 
conversion, by the life and conversation. Be H©t deceived : God is not 
mocked with the tongue, if the heart is not rig-ht towards Ixim in love and 
obedience. 



143 FAITHFUL REFUTES TALKATIVE ; 

many cry out against sin in the pulpit, who yet can 
abide it well enough in the heart, house, and conversa- 
tion. Joseph's mistress cried with a loud voice, as if 
she had been very holy ; but she would willingly, not- 
withstanding that, have committed uncleanness with 
him. (a) Some cry out against sin, even as the moiher 
cries out against her child in her lap, when she calleth 
it slut, and naughty girl, and then falls to hugging and 
kissing it. 

Talk. You lie at the catch, I perceive. 

Faith. No, not I; I am only for setting things 
right. But what is the second thing whereby you will 
prove a discovery of a work of grace in the heart ; 

Talk. Great knowledge .of gospel mysteries. 

Faith. This sign should have been first : but, first 
or last, it is also false ; for knowledge, great knowledge, 
may be obtained in the mysteries of the gospel, and 
yet no work of grace in the soul.(^) Yea, if a man 
have all knowledge, he may yet be nothing, and so, con- 
sequently, be no child of God. When Christ said, 
*' Do ye know all these things ?" and the disciples had 
answered. Yes, — -he added, '* Blessed are ye, if ye do 
them." He doth not lay the blessing in the knowing 
of them, but in the doing of them. For there is a 
knowledge that is not attended with doing : " he that 
knoweth his master's will, and doeth it not." A man 
may know like an angel, and yet be no Christian : 
therefore your sign of it is not true. Indeed, to know^ 
is a thing that pleaseth talkers and boasters ; but to do^ 
is that which pleaseth God. Not that the heart can be 
good without knowledge ; for without that the heart is 
naught. There are therefore two sorts of knowledge : 
knowledge that resteth in the bare speculation of things, 
and knowledge that is accompanied with the grace of 
faith and love ; which puts a man upon doing even the 
will of God from the heart : the first of these will serve 



(a) Gen. xxxis. 11 — 1.5 {'S) 1 Cor. slii. 



AND S^TEWS THE SIGNS OF A WORK OP GRACE. 149 

the talker ; but without the other, the true Christian is 
not content : *' Give me understanding*, and I shall 
keep thy law ; yea, I shall observe it with my whole 
heart."(a) 

Talk. You lie at the catch again; this is not for 
edification. 

Faith. Well, if you please, propound another sign 
how this work of grace discovereth itself where it is. 

Talk. Not I ; for I see we shall not agree. 

Faith. Well, if you will not, will you give me 
leave to do it ? 

Talk. You may use your liberty. 

Faith. A work of grace in the soul discovereth 
itself, either to him that hath it, or to standers by. 

To him that hath it, thus : it gives him conviction 
of sin, especially of the defilement of his nature, and 
the sin of unbelief, for the sake of which, he is sure to 
be damned, if he findeth not mercy at God's hand, by 
faith in Jesus Christ. (6) This sight and sense of things 
worketh in him sorrow and shame for sin ; he findeth, 
moreover, revealed in him the Saviour of the world, 
and the absolute necessity of closing with him for life ; 
at the which he findeth hungerings and thirstings after 
him ; to which hungerings, &c. the promise is made, (c) 
Now according to the strength or weakness of his faith 
in his Saviour, so is his joy and peace, so is his love to 
holiness, so are his desires to know him more, and also 
to serve him in this world. But though, I say, it 
discovereth itself thus unto him, yet it is but seldom 
that he is able to conclude that this is a work of grace : 
because his corruptions now, and his abused reason, 
make his mind to misjudge in this matter : therefore in 
him that hath this work, there is required a very sound 
judgment, before he can with steadine^ conclude that 
this is a work of grace. 



(a) Psal. cxlx. 34. (Z») Mark xvl. 16. John xvi. 8, 9. Rom. vii. 24. 
(c) Ps. xxsviii. 18. Jer. xxxi. 19. Matt v. 6. Acts iv. 12. Gal. i. 15, 16. 
,|Rev xxi. 6. 



150 APPLIES THEM TO TALKATIVE's CONSCIENCE, 

To Others it is thus discovered : — 1. By an experi- 
mental confession of his faith in Christ. — 2. By a Hfe an- 
swerable to that confession ; to wit, a life of holiness : 
heart- holiness, family- holiness (if he hath a ftimily , ) and by 
conversation- holiness in the world ; which in the generi 
teacheth him inwardly to abhor his sin, and himself for 
that in secret ; to suppress it in his family, and to pro- 
mote holiness in the world ; not by talk only, as an hy- 
pocrite or talkative person may do, but by a practical 
subjection in faith and love to the power of the 
word.*(G) And now, Sir, as to this brief description 
of the work of grace, and also the discovery of it, if you 
have aught to object, object ; if not, then give me leave 
to propound to you a second question. 

Talk. Nay, my part is not now to object, but to 
hear : let me therefore have your second question. 

Faith. It is this : Do yoii experience this first part 
of the description of it ; and doth your life and con- 
versation testify the same ? or standeth your religion 
in word or tongue, and not in deed and truth ? Pray, 
if you incline to answer me in this, say no more than 
you know the God above will say Amen to ; and also 
nothing but what your conscience can justify you in : 
*' for not he who commendeth himself is approved, but 
whom the Lord commendeth.'^ Besides, to say I am 
thus and thus, when my conversation, and all my 
neighbours tell me I lie, is great wickedness.f 



* This, and this only, is what will evidence that we nre real disciples 
of Christ, honour his name and his truths, and recommend his religion in 
the world. Without this power of godliness, we have only a name to live, 
while we are dead to tlie power of the gospel. Examine yourself : look to 
your ways. 

f Blessed, faithful dealing ! O that it was more practised in the world and 
in the church ! Ho\t then would vain talkers be detected in the one, and 
driven out of the other ! 

(a) Ps. 1. 23. Ezek. xx. 43. Matt. V. 3. John sir. 15. Roin. s. 9, 3^.. 
Phil. iii. ir— 20. 



WHO DEPARTS OFFENDEI^. 151 

Then Talkative at first began to blush ; but recover- 
ing hnnself^ thus he replied : You come now to expe- 
rience, to conscience, and God ; and to appeal to him 
for justification of what is spoken : this kind of dis- 
course I did not expect ; nor am I disposed to give an 
answer to such questions ; because I count not myself 
bound thereto, unless you take upon you to be a catC' 
chizer ; and though you should so do, yet I may re- 
fuse to make you my judge. But I pray, will you tell 
me why you ask me such questions ?* 

Faith. Because I saw you forward to talk, and be- 
cause I knew not that you had aught else but notion. 
Besides, to tell you all the truth, I have heard of you, 
that you are a man whose religion lies in talk, and that 
your conversation gives this your profession the lie. 
They say you are a spot among Christians ; and that 
religion fareth the worse for your ungodly conversation ; 
that some already have stumbled at your wicked ways, 
and that more are in danger of being destroyed there- 
by ; your religion and an ale-house, and covetousness, 
and uncleanness, and swearing, and lying, and vain 
company-keeping, &c. will stand together. The pro- 
verb is true of you, which is said of a whore, to wit> 
that '' she is a shame to all women ;" so you are a 
shame to all professors. 

Talk. Since you are ready to take up reports, and 
to judge so rashly as you do, I cannot but conclude 
you are some peevish or melancholic man, not fit to 
be discoursed with : and so, adieu.f 

Then came up Christian, and said to his brother, I 
told you how it would happen ; your words and his 
lusts could not agree. He had rather leave your com- 



* Heavt-searcbing"* soul-examining', and close-questioning of the conduct 
of life, will not do with talkative professors, fling a peal on the doctrines 
•of grace, and many will chime in with you ! but speak closely how grace 
operates upon the heart, and influences the life to follow Christ in self-de- 
nying obedience, they cannot bear it ; they are ofi'ended with jou, and will 
turn away from you, and call you legal. 

f Where the heart is rotten, it will ward off conviction, turn from a faith- 
ful reprover, condemn him, and justify itself. Faithful dealing will not d<5 
ft>r unfaithful souls. Mind not that, but be faithful te the truth. 



152 CONVERSATION RELATIVE TO TALKATIVE. 

pany than reform his life ; but he is gone, as I said : 
let him go, the loss is no man's but his own : he has 
saved us the trouble of going from him ; for he conti- 
nuing (as I suppose he will do) as he is, he w^ould have 
been but a blot in your company : besides, the apostle 
says, ^'From such withdraw thyself." 

Faith. But I am glad we had this little discourse 
with him : it may happen that he will think of it again : 
however, I have dealt plainly with him, and so am 
clear of his blood if he perisheth.^ 

Chr. You did well to talk so plainly to him as you 
did ; there is but little of this faithful dealing wdth men 
now-a-days, and that makes religion to stink so in the 
nostrils of many as it doth : for there are these talkative 
fools, whose religion is only in words, and are de- 
bauched and vain in their conversation, that, being so 
much admitted into the fellow^ship of the godly, do 
puzzle the world, blemish Christianity, and grieve the 
sincere. I wish that all men w^ould deal with such as 
you have done ; then should they be either made more 
conformable to religion, or the company of saints would 
be too hot for them. Then did Faithful say— - 

" How Talkative at first lifts up his plumes ? 
How bravely doth he speak ! How he presumes 
To drive down all before him ! But so soon 
As Faithful talks of heart-work, like the moon 
Thats' past the full, into the wane he goes : 
And so will all but he that heart-work knows." 

Thus they Vv-ent on talking of what they had seen by 
the way, and so made that w^ay easy w^hich would other- 
wise no doubt have been tedious to them : for now they 
went through a wilderness. f 



* Mind t])is. These are right principles to act from, and right ends to 
have in view, in faithful reproving, or aiming to convict our fellow-sinners. 
Study and pursue these. 

f Spiritual observations and conferences on past experiences, are very 
enlivening to the soul. They very often change the wilderness of dejec- 
tion into a garden of delights ; and so beguile the weary steps of pilgrims 
through tedious paths. O Christians, look more to Christ, and talk more to 
'^ach other of his love to you, and dealings with you. 



CHRTSTI.VN AND FAlTIIFUL MEET EVANGELIST. 153 



CHAPTER XIIT. 

PERSECUTION EXHIIUTED, IN THE TREATMENT OP CHRIS- 
TIAN AND FAITHFUL IN VANITY FAIR 

IVOW when Christian and Faithful were got almost 
quite out of this wilderness, Faithful chanced to cast his 
eye back, and spied one coming after them, and he 
knew him. Oh ! said Faithful to his brother, Who 
comes yonder ? Then Christian looked, and said. It is 
my good friend Evangelist, Aye, and my good friend 
too, said Faithful ; for it was he that set me in the way 
to the gate. Now as Evangelist came up unto them, 
he thus saluted them ; 

Peace be with you, dearly beloved ; and peace be 
to your helpers. 

Chr. Welcome, welcome, my good Evangelist, 
the sight of thy countenance brings to my remem- 
brance thy ancient kindness and unwearied labours for 
my eternal good. 

And a thousand times welcome, said good Faithful ; 
thy company, O sweet Evangelist, how desirable is it 
to us poor pilgrims !* 

Then said Evangelist, How hath it fared with you, 
my friends, since the time of our last parting ? what 
have you met with, and how have you behaved your- 
selves ?t 

Then Christian and Faithful told him of all things 
that had happened to them in the way ; and how, 



• A sincere and cordial love for gospel ministers, under a sense of their 
being- made instrumental to our soul's prufii, is a sure and a blessed sign of 
a pilgrim's spirit. 

f To inquire after the concerns and prosperity of the soul, should always 
be the business of faithful ministers of Christ : but is not this sadly n'jg» 
lected ; O how often do ministers visit and depart, vvithour close expt ri- 
mental converse with their people ! Hence both saffer present loss, and 
much harm is the consequence. 

20 



154 evangelist's exhortation : 

and with what difficulty, they had arrived to that 
place. 

Right glad am I, said Evangelist, not that you have 
met with trials, but that you have beeii victors, and for 
that you have, notwithstanding many weaknesses, con- 
tinued in tlie way to this very day. I say, right glad 
am I of this thing, and that for my own sakeand your's. 
I have sowed and you have reaped ; and the day is 
coming, when " both he that sowed and they that reaped 
shall rejoice together ;" that is, if you hold out ; " for 
in due time ye shall reap, if you faint noU^\a) The 
crown is before you, and it is an incorruptible one ; 
" so run, that you may obtain it.'' Some there be that 
set out for this crown, and after they have gone far for 
it, another comes in and takes it from them ; " hold 
fast therefore that you have, let no man take your 
crown :^\b) you are not yet out of the gun-shot of the 
devil : " you have not resisted unto blood, striving 
against sin;" let the kingdom be always before you, 
and believe steadfastly concerning things that are invisi- 
ble : let nothing that is on this side the other world get 
within you : and, above all, look well to your own 
hearts, and to the lusts thereof, for they are " deceitful 
above oU things, and desperately wicked:" set your 
faces like a flint ; you have all power in heaven and 
earth on your side."*" 

Then Christian thanked him for his exhortation ; but 
told hirn withal, that they would have him speak further 
to them for their help the rest of the way ; and the ra- 
ther, for that thy well knew that he was a prophet, and 
could tell them of things that might happen unto them, 
and how they might resist and overcome them. To 



* Here is a blessed word of encouragement, of wrrning and of exhorta- 
tion, to be steadfast in faitli, joyful in hope, watchful over our hearts, and 
to abound in tlie work of the Lord. AH this is constantly necessary for 

)ilgriiTis. Faitiifal ministers will give advice, and pilgrims will be thank- - 

ul for such. 



I 



(a) John iv. 26. Gal. vi. 9. (/^) 1 Cor. ix. 24—27. Rev iii. t 



m 



FORETELLS THEIR APPROACHING TRIALS. 155 

which request Faithful also consented. So Evangelist 
began as followeth : 

My sons, you have h<^ard in the words of the truth of 
the gospel, that "you must through many tribulations 
enter into the kingdom of heaven." And again, that 
'*in every city, bonds and afflictions abide on you;" 
and therefore you cannot expect that you should go 
long on your pilgrimage without them, in some sort or 
other. You have found something of the truth of these 
testimonies upon you already, and more will immedi- 
ately follow : for now, as )'Ou see, you are almost out 
of this wilderness, and therefore you will soon come 
into a town, that you will by and by see before you ; 
and in that town you will be hardly beset with ene- 
mies, who will strain hard but they will kill you ; and 
be you sure that one or both of you must seal the tes- 
timony which you hold with blood : but " be you 
faithful unto death, and the King will give you a 
crown of life." He that shall die there, although his 
death will be unnatural, and his pains perhaps great, 
he will yet have the better of his fellow, not only be- 
cause he will be arrived at the Celestial City soonest, 
but because he will escape many miseries that the 
other will meet with in the rest of his journey. But 
when you are come to the town, and shall find fulfilled 
what I have here related, then remember your friend, 
and quit yourselves like men ; and '* commit the keep- 
ing of your souls to your God in well-doing, as unto a 
faithful Creator."* 

Then I saw in my dream that, when they were got 
out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town be- 
fore them ; the name of that town is Vanity ; and at 
that town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair : it is 



* Woe unto them that fold their hands, and fall asleep in strong- confi- 
dence. You see what hard work yet lay before these pilgrims. Let us 
ever remember, this is not our rest. We must be pressing forward, fighting 
the good fight of faitli, labouring- to enter into that rest which remainetli 
for the people of God : looking diligently, lest we fail of the grace of God, 
Heb. xii. 5. 



156 VANITY FAIR DESCRIBEB. 

kept all the year long : it beareth the name of Vanity 
fair, because the town where it is kept is " lighter than 
vanity," and also, because all that is there sold, or that 
Cometh thither, is vanity. As is the saying of the wise, 
"All that Cometh is vanity."(«) 

This fair is no new- erected business, but a thing of 
ancient standing : I will shew you the original of it. 

Almost five thousand years agonCj there were pil* 
grims walking to the Celestial City, as these two ho- 
nest persons are : and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Le- 
gion, with their companions, perceiving, by the path 
that the^ pilgrims made, that their way to their city lay 
through this town of Vanity, they contrived here to 
set up a fair ; a fair, wherein should be sold all sorts 
of vanity ; and that it should last all the year long : 
therefore, at this fair, are all such merchandise sold, as 
houses, lands, trades, places, honours, preferments, ti- 
tles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures ; and de- 
lights of all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, 
children^ masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, 
silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not? 

And moreover, at this fair there is at all times to be 
seen jugglings, cheats, games, plays, fools, apes, knaves, 
and rogues, and that of every kind. 

Here are to be seen too, and that for nothing, thefts, 
murders, adulteries, false- sweai^ers, and that of a blood- 
red colour.* 

And as in other fairs of less moment, there are 
several rows and streets under their proper names, 



* A just description of this wicked world. How many, though they pt'o- 
fess to be pilgrims, have never yet set one foot out of this fair ; but live in 
it all the year round I They walk according to the course of this world. 
Eph. ii. 2. For the God of this world hath blinded their mind. 1 Cor. iv. 4. 
You cannot be a pilgrim, if you are not delivered from this world and its 
vanities ; for if you love the world, if it has your supreme affections, the 
love of God is not in you. 1 John ii. 15. You have not one grain of faith in 
4esus. 

(rt) Eccles. i. 2—14. ii. 17. si. 8. Isaiah xl. 17= 



( 



FURTHER ACCOUNT OF VAMTY FAIR. 157 

where such wares are vended, so here likewise you 
have the proper places, rows, streets, (viz. countries 
and kingdoms,) where the wares of this fair are soon, 
est to be found. Here is the Britain row, the French 
row, the Italian row, the Spanish row, the German row, 
where several sorts of vanities are to be sold. But as 
in other fairs some one commodity is as the chief of 
all the fair, so tlie ware of Rome and her merchandise 
is greatly promoted in this fliir : only our English na- 
tion, with some others, have taken a dislike thereat.* 

Now, as I said, the way to the Celestial City lies just 
through the town where this lusty fair is kept : and hq 
that will go to the City, and yet not go through this 
town, " must needs go out of the world." The Prince 
©f princes himself, when here, went through this town 
to his own country, and that upon a fair day too : yea, 
and as I think, it w^as Beelzebub, the chief lord of this 
fair, that invited him to buy of his vanities ; yea, would 
have made him lord of the fair, would he but have 
done him reverence as he went through the town : yea, 
because he was such a person of honour, Beelzebub 
had had him from street to street, and showed him all 
the kingdoms of the world in a little time, that he might, 
if possible allure that Blessed One, to cheapen and buy 
some of his vanities ; but he had no mind to the mer- 
chandise, and therefore left the town without laying out 
so much as one farthing upon these vanities. (<2) This 
fair, therefore, is an ancient thing, of long standing, and 
a very great fair. 

Now these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through 
this fair. Well, so they did; but, behold, even as 



* The doctrine of tlie church of Rome. It is much to be wished, that 
the vile presumption of man's bartering with God, and purchasing" a title 
to heaven, by his performing- terms and conditions of suivation, meritinj.7 
heaven by his good works, and procuring jvistification by his own obetli- 
ence, to the exalting his pride, and the debashig the work and glory of 
Christ, was totally rejected by us. But alas? these proud, unscriptural no- 
tions too much prevail. 

(fl) Mfttt. iv. 8, 9. Luke iv 5— r. 



158 A HUBBUB IN THE FAIR. 

they entered into the fair, all the people in the fair were 
moved, and the town itself, as it were, in a hubbub 
about them ; and that for several reasons : for, 

First, The pilgrims were elothed with such kind of 
raiment, as was diverse from the raiment of an}' that 
traded in that fair. The people, therefore, of the fair, 
made a great gazing upon them : some said they were 
fools ;(«) some, they were bedlams; and some, they 
were outlandish men. 

Secondly, And, as they wondered at their apparel, 
so they did likewise at their speech ; for few could un- 
derstand what they said : they naturally spoke the lan- 
guage of Canaan ; but they that kept the fair, were the 
men of this world : so that from one end of the fair to 
the other, they seemed barbarians each to the other. 

Thirdlv, But that which did not a little amuse the 
merchandisers was, that these pilgrims set very light 
by all their wares : they cared not so much as to look 
upon them : and if they called upon them to buy, they 
would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, *' Turn 
away mine eyes from beholding vanity ;"(<^) and look 
upwards, signifying, that their trade and traffic was in 
heaven. 

One chanced, mockingly, beholding the carriages 
of the men, to say unto them, " What will ye buy ?" 
but they looking gravely upon him, said, We " buy 
the truth. "*(c) At that, there was an occasion taken 



* An odd reply. What do they mean ? That they are neither afraid 
nor ashamed to own, what was the one object of their soul's pursuit. The 
Truth. Understand hereby, that the whole world, which lietli in wicked-^ 
ness, suffer themselves to be deceived by a lie, and are under the delusion of 
the father of lies. In opposition to this, all believers in Christ are said to 
be of tbe truth. 1 John iii. 19. They know and believe tliat capital truth 
with wliich God speaks from heaven, " This is my beloved Son, in whomt 
1 am well pleased.*' Matt. iii. 17 This truth — that Jesus is the Son of God, 
and our only Saviour, lies at the foundation of all their hope : and to g-et 
more acquainted with him, is the grand object of their pursuit. For this, 
the world hates them ; and Satan, who is an enemy to this truth, stirs up 
the world ag-ainst them. ** For (says our Lord) they are not of the world, 
even as I am not of the world." John xvii. 16. 

(a) 1 Cor. iv, 9. 10. ^ {k) Ps. cxix. 37 (c) Prov. xxiii, 29. 



THE PILGRIMS APPREHENDED, AND EXAMINED, 15^ 

to despise the men the more : some mocking, some 
taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling 
upon others to smite them. At last, things came to a 
hubbub and great stir in the fair, insomuch that all 
order was confounded. Now was word presently 
brought to the great one of the fair, who quickly came 
down, and deputed some of his most trusty friends to 
take those men into examination, about whom the fair 
was almost overturned. So the men were brought to 
examination ; and they that sat upon them, asked them 
whence they came, wliither they went, and what they 
did there in such an unusual garb ? The men told them 
that they were pilgrims and strangers in the world ; and 
that they were going to their own countr}% which was 
the heavenly Jerusalem ;{a) and that they had given no 
occasion to the men of the town, nor yet to the mer- 
chandisers, thus to abuse them, and to stop them in 
their journey : except it was for that, when one asked 
them what they would buy, they said they would buy 
the truth. — But they that were appointed to examine 
them, did not believe them to be any other than bed- 
lams and mad, or else such as came to put all things 
into a confusion in the fair. Therefore they took them 
and beat them, and besmeared them with dirt, and then 
put them into the cage, that they might be made a spec- 
tacle tb all the men of the fair.* Therefore they lay 
for some time, and were made the objects of any man's 
sport, or malice, or revenge ; the great one of the fair 
laughing still at all that befell them. But the men be- 
ing patient, and *' not rendering railing for railing, but 



* If we possess notliing to disting-ulsh us from the rest of the world, which 
lieth in wickedness, and for which they will hate and despise us, we have 
no reason to conclude that we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. If we are 
Christ's, we must become fools for Christ, and be counted as mad by those 
who know not Christ ; for if alive to Christ, we shall be crucified to the 
world. " Woe be unto you, if all men speak well of you,'* saiUi Christ. 
Luke vi. 26. 

(a) Heb. xi. 13—16. 



160 THEIR CONFINEMENT AND MEEK BEHAVIOUR. 

contrariwise blessing," and giving good words forbad,- 
and kindness for injuries done, some men in the fi ir, 
that were more observing and less prejudiced than the 
rest, began to check and blame the baser sort, for their 
continual abuses done by them to the men : they there- 
fore in angry manner let fly at them again, counting 
them as bad as the men in the cage, and telling them, 
that they seemed confederates, and should be made 
partakers of their misfortune. The others replied, that, 
for aught they could see, the men were quiet and so- 
ber, and intended nobody any harm : and that there 
w^ere many that traded in their fair, that were more 
worthy to be put into the cage, yea, and pillory too^ 
than were the men that they had abused. Thus after 
divers words had passed on both sides, (the men beha* 
ving themselves all the while very wisely and soberly 
before them,) they fell to some blows among them- 
selves, and did harm one to another.* Then were 
these two poor men brought before their examiners 
again, and there charged as being guilty of the late 
hubbub that had been in the fair. So they beat them 
pitifully, and hanged irons upon them, and led them 
in chains up and down the fair, for an example and 
terror to others, lest any should speak in their behalf, 
or join themselves unto them. But Christian and 
Faithful behaved themselves yet more wisely, and re- 
ceived the ignominy and shame that was cast upon 
them, with so much meekness and patience, that it f 
won to their side (though but few in comparison of the 
rest) several of the men in the fair. This put the other 
party yet into a greater rage, insomuch that they con- 



* It is common for the world to be divided in tlieir opinions about pil- 
grims. A Christian conduct and behaviour will put to silence the g-ainsay- 
ing of some wicked men ; and sometimes win others to become followers of 
Christ; O pilgrims, look well to your spirit, temper, and conduct towards 
the men of this world, who keep vanity fair all the year. 

f It -s acting- in the spirit and temper of Christ that will gain adversaries 
over to him ; whereas a contrary spirit is a dishonour to Christ, a reproach 
to his cause, never did good to others, nor left the soul in the solid poss<;s- 
sion of the peace of tiod. 



THEIR INDICTMENT. 161 

eluded the death of these two men. Wherefore they 
threatened, that neither cage nor irons should serve their 
turn, but that they should die for the abuse they had 
done, and for deluding the men of the fair. 

Then were they remanded to the cage again, until 
further order should be taken with them. So they put 
them in, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 

Here, therefore, they called again to mind, what they 
had heard from their fliithful friend Evangelist, and 
were the more confirmed in their ways and sufferings 
by what he told them would happen to them. They 
also now comforted each other, that whose lot it was to 
suffer, even he should have the best of it : therefore 
each man secretly wished that he might have that pre- 
ferment : but committing themselves to the all-wise 
disposal of Him that ruleth all things, with much con- 
tent they abode in the condition in which they \vere, 
luitil they should be otherwise disposed of. 

Then a convenient time being appointed, they 
brought them forth to their trial, in order to their con- 
demnation. When the time was come, they were 
brought before their enemies, and arraigned. The 
judge's name was Lord Hate-good : their indictment 
was one and the same in substance, though somewhat 
varying in form ; the contents whereof was this : 

'' That they were enemies to, and disturbers of, their 
trade : that they had made commotions and divisions in 
the town, and had won a party to their own most dan- 
gerous opinions, in contempt of the law of their 
prince."^' 



* You see your calling-, brethren. Has no such indictment been ever 
brought at^ainst you ? Then it is to be feared, what Pharaoh said to tlie 
loruelites may be said to you : Ye are idle, ye are idle, in tlie vays of the 
Lord ; ye want love to his name, fervency for his trullij fuid zeal for his 
^lorv, and the g-ood of precious souls. 

21 



162 THE EVIDENCE OP ENVY, 

Then Faithful began to answer, that he had only set 
himself against that which had set itself against Him 
that is higher than the highest. And, said he, as for 
disturbance, I make none, being myself a man of peace ; 
the parties that were won to us, were won by beholding 
our truth and innocence, and they are only turned from 
the worse to the better. And as to the king you talk 
of, since he is Beelzebub, the enemy of our Lord, I 
defy him and all his angels. 

Then proclamation was made, that they that had 
aught to say for their lord the king, against the prison- 
er at the bar, should forthwith appear and give in their 
evidence. So there came in three witnesses, to wit. 
Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank : they were then 
asked, if they knew the prisoner at the bar ; and what 
they had to say for their lord the king against him ? 

Then stood forth Envy, and said to this effect : My 
lord, I have known this man a long time, and will at- 
test upon my oath before this honourable bench, that 
he is ' 

Judge. Hold, give him his oath. 

So they sware him. — Then he said, My lord, this 
man, notwithstanding his plausible name, is one of the 
vilest men in our country ; he neither regardeth prince 
nor people, law nor custom ; but doeth all that he can 
to possess all men with certain of his disloyal notions, 
which he in the general calls ^'principles of faith and 
holiiiessy And, in particular, I heard him once my- 
self affirm, that Christianity and the customs of our 
town of Vanity were diametrically opposite, and could 
not be reconciled. By which saying, my lord, he doth 
at once not only condemn all our laudable doings, but 
ps in the doing of them. 

Then did the judge say unto him, Hast thou any 
more to say ? 



StrPERSTITION, AND PICKTIIANK. 16 



r» 



Envy. My lord, I could say much more, only 1 
would not be tedious to the court. Yet, if need be, 
when the other gentlemen have given in their evi- 
dence, rather than any thing shall be wanting that will 
despatch him, I will enlarge my testimony against 
him. — So he was bid to stand by.* 

Then they called Superstition, and bid him look up- 
on the prisoner; they also asked, what he could say for 
their lord the king against him? Then they sware him; 
so he began : 

My lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man, 
nor do I desire to have further knowledge of him ; 
however, this I know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, 
from some discourse that the other day I had with him 
in this town ; for then, talking with him, I heard him 
say that our religion was naught, and such by which 
a man could by no means please God. Which saying 
of his, my lord, your lordship very well knows, what 
necessarily thence will follow, to wit, that we still do 
worship in vain, are yet in our sins, and finally will 
be damned ; and this is that which I have to say.f 

Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he 
knew in behalf of their lord the king, against the pri- 
soner at the bar. 

My lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have 
known of a long time, and have heard him speak things 



* The spirit of wisdom asks, " Who is able to stand before envy ?'" 
Prov. xxvii. 4 Envy is the very temper of the devil. I: is natural to us all. 
Bat why should the children of this world envy Cod's children ? for they are 
strang'ers to the spiritual good thinj^s they enjoy. They neither seek them, 
noi- care for tliem, but laugh and deride them Herein the very spirit of 
Satan is manifest. He envied Christ, being- tlie Son of God: he stirred up 
Judas to betray him, and the Jews for envy delivered him Matt, xxxvii. 
18 and the same spirit works in all the children of Satan against the chil- 
dren of G )d. 

f Superstition, or false devotion, is a most bitter enemy to Christ's truths 
and to his followers. Tins fellow's evidence is true* for as the lawyers 
said of Christ's doctrine, " Master, thus saying, thou reproachest us also." 
L'lke xi. 45. so false worshippers, who rest in forms, and rites, and shadows, 
are stung to the quick at those who worsliip God in the spirit, rejoice in 
Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesli. Such a conduct pours 
the utmost contempt wpon all the doctrines and superstitions of carnal 
men. 



164 FAITHFUL REPLIES TO THE WITNESSES. 

that ought not to be spoken ; for he hath railed on our 
noble prince Beelzebub, and hath spoken contemptibly 
of his honourable friends, whose names are the Lord 
Old-man, the Lord Carnal-delight, the Lord Luxuri- 
ous, the Lord D e sire -of- vain- glor}-, my old Lord 
Lechery, Sir Having Greedy, with all the rest of our 
nobility : and he hath said, moreover, that if all men 
were of his mind, if possible there is not one of these 
noblemen should have any longer a being in this town. 
Besides, he hath not been afraid to rail on you, my 
lord, who are now appointed to be his judge, calling 
you an ungodly villain, with many other such-like vi- 
lifying terms, a\ ith Vvhich he hath bespattered most of 
the gentr}^ of our town.-^ 

When this Pickthank had told his tale, the jndge 
directed his speech to the prisoner at the bar, saying, 
Thou renegade, heretic, and traitor, hast thou heard 
W^hat these honest gentlemen have witnessed against 
thee ? 

Faith. May I speak a few words in my own de- 
fence ? 

Judge. Sirrah, sirrah, thou deservest to live no 
longer, but to be slain immediately upon the place ; 
yet, that all men may see our gentleness towards thee, 
let us hear what thou vile renegade hast to say* 

Faith. I say then, in answer to what Mr. Envy 
hath spoken, I never said aught but this, that what rule, 
or laws, or custom, or people, were flat against the 
word of God, are diametrically opposite to Christianity. 
If I ha\"e said amiss in this, convince me of my error^ 
and I am ready here before you to make my recanta- 
tion. 

As to the second, to Vvlt, Mr. Superstition, and 
his charge against me, I said only this, that in the 



* As soon as the poor sinner says, " O Lord our God, other lords be- 
sides tliee have had the dominion over me; hut by tliee alone will I make 
mention of thy name." Isa. xxvi. 13. Your officious Pickthanks are always 
feady to bear testimony against liim : and a blessed testimony this is, it isr 
Well wortli living to prain, and dyini^ in the cause of. If we are real disci- 
■|">les of CbWst, the world will bate us for his sake. John vii. 7. 



hout) hate-good's charge to the jcry. 165 

worship of God there is required a divine faidi ; but 
there can be no divine faith without a divine revelation 
of the will of God. Therefore, whatever is thrust into 
the worship of God, that is not agreeable to divine reve- 
lation, cannot be done but by an human faith, which 
faith will not be profitable to eternal life. 

As to what Mr. Pickthank hath said, (say I avoiding 
terms, as that I am said to rail, and the like,) that the 
prince of this towii, w^ith all the rabblement, his attend- 
ants, by this gentleman named, are more fit for being 
in hell than in this town and country ; and so the Lord 
have mercy upon me."^- 

Then the judge called to the jury (who all this while 
stood by to hear and observe,) Gentlemen of the jury, 
you see this man, about whom so great an uproar hath 
been made in this town : you have also heard, w^hat 
those w^orthy gentlemen have witnessed against him ; 
also you have heard his reply and confession ; it lieth 
now in your breasts to hang him, or save his life ; but 
yet I think meet to instruct you in our law. 

There was an act made in the days of Pharaoh the 
great, servant to our prince, that, lest those of a contrary 
religion should multiply and grow too strong for him, 
their males should be thowii into the river. (c) — There 
was an act also made in the days of Nebuchadnezzar 
the great, another of his servants, that whoever would 
not fall down and worship his golden image, should be 
thrown into the fiery furnace. (^) — There w^as also an 
act made in the days of Darius, that whoso for some 
time called upon any God but him should be cast into 
the lions' den.(c) Now the substance of these laws 
this rebel has broken, not only in thought (which is not 



* This Is the Christian's plea and his g'loiT- : While he knows, the ten- 
der mercies of the wicked are cruel, Frov. xii. 10 ; yet he also knows that 
the merciful kiiidness of the Lord is great, and the truth of the Lord en- 
dureth for ever. Psalm cxvii. 2. 

(n) Exod. '}. (*) Dan. iji. U) Dan. vl. 



166 faithful's CONDEMiVATIOJX, 

to be borne,) but also in word and deed ; which must 
therefore needs be intolerable. 

For that of Pharaoh ; — his law was made upon sus- 
picion, to prevent mischief, no crime yet being appa- 
rent ; but here is a crime apparent. For the second 
and third ; — you see he disputeth against our religion ; 
and for the treason, he hath confessed he deserveth to 
die the death. 

Then went the jury out, whose names were Mr. 
Blindman, Mr. No- good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, 
Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. En- 
'mity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. 
Implacable ; who every one gave in his private verdict 
against him among themselves, and afterwards unani- 
mously concluded to bring him in guilty before the 
judge. And first among themselves, — Mr. Blindman, 
the foreman, said, I see clearly, that this man is an 
heretic. Then said Mr. No-good, away with such a 
fellow from the earth. Ay, said Mr. Malice, for I hate 
the very looks of him. Then said Mr. Love-lust, I 
could never endure him. Nor I, said Mr. Live-loose, 
for he would always be condemning my way. Hang 
him, hang him, said Mr. Heady. A sorry scrub, said 
Mr. High-mind. My heart riseth against him, said 
Mr. Enmity. He is a rogue, said Mr. Liar. Hduging 
is too good for him, said Mr. Cruelty. Let us despatch 
him out of the way, said Mr. Hate -light. Then said 
Mr. Implacable, might I have all the world given me, 
I could not be reconciled to him : therefore let us forth- 
with bring him in guilty of death.* And so they did ; 
therefore he was presently condemned to be had from 
the place where he was, to the place from whence he 
came, and there to be put to the most cruel death that 
could be invented. 



* A blessed verdict ! well worthy of every pilpfrim to obtain. Reader, 
do you profess to be one ? See then that you study to act so as to gain such 
a verdict from such a jury ! and then be sure that Christ will pronounce, 
** Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy 
I,ord," Matt. XXV. 21. 



AND MARTYRDOM. 167 

They therefore brought him out, to do with him ac- 
cording to their law ; and first they scourged him, then 
they buffeted him, then they lanced his flesh with 
knives; after that they stoned him with stones, then prick- 
ed him with their swords ; and last of all they burned 
him to ashes at the stake. Thus came Faithful to his 
end. 

Now I saw that there stood behind the multitude a 
chariot and a couple of horses waiting for Faithful, who, 
so soon as his adversaries had despatched him, was ta- 
ken up into it, and straightway was carried up through 
the clouds, with sound of trumpet, the nearest way to 
the Celestial gate. But as for Christian, he had some 
respite, and was remanded back to prison ; so he there 
remained for a space : but He that overrules all things, 
having the power of their rage in his own hand, so 
brought it about, that Christian for that time escaped 
them, and went his way. 

And as he went he sang, saying : 

" Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully profest 
Unto thy Lord, of whom thou shalt be blest : 
When faithless ones, with all their vain delights, 
Are crying out under their hellish plights : 
Sing Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive ; 
For though they kill'd thee, thou art yet alive." 



168 CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL MEET BY-EN'BS. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

CHISTIAN MEETS WITH ANOTHER EXCELLENT COMPA- 
NION IN HOPEFUL DIALOGUES BETWEEN THEM, BY- 
ENDS, MONEY-LOVE, AND DEMAS. 

Pn OW I saw in my dream that Christian went not 
forth alone ; for there was one whose name was Hope- 
ful, (being so made by the beholding of Christian and 
Faithful, in their words and behaviour in their suffer- 
ings at the fair,) who joined himself unto him ; and, 
entering into a brotherly covenant, told him that he 
would be his companion. Thus one died to bear tes- 
timony to the truth, and another rises out of his ashes 
to be a companion with Christian in his pilgrimage.^ 
This Hopeful also told Christian, that there were ma- 
ny more of the men in the fair, that would take their 
time and follow after. 

So I saw that quickly after they were got out of the 
fair, they overtook one that was going before them, whose 
name was By-ends : so they said to him, What coun- 
tryman. Sir ? and how far go } ou this v/ay ? He told 
them that he came from the town of Fair-speech, and 
he was going to the Celestial City, but told them not 
his name. 

From Fair- speech ! said Christian : is there any 
good that lives there ?(a) 

Yes, said By-ends, I hope. 

Pray, Sir, what may I call you ? said Christian. 

By-e. I am a stranger to you, and you to me : if 
you be going this way, I shall be glad of your compa- 
ny : if not, I must be content. 



* I have often recorded it with thankfuhiess, (observes the Rev. M r. 
Mason) that thoui^h in the dreary day of my pilgrimag-e, the Lord hatli 
taken away a dear and faithful Christian friend, yet he has always raised up 
another. A very great blessing this, for which Christians can never be 
thankful enoug-h. 

ia) Prov. xxvi. 23,. 



Christian iNauiREs into his principli^s. 16S. 

This town of Fair- speech, said Christian, I have 
heard of, and, as I remember, they say it is a weahhy 
place. 

By-e. Yes, I will assure you that it is ; and I have 
very many rich kindred there. 

Chr. Pray who are your kindred there, if a man 
may be so bold ? 

By-e. Almost the whole town; and, in particular, 
my Lord Turn-about, my Lord Time-server, my Lord 
Fair-speech, from whose ancestors that town first took 
its name : also IVIr. Smooth- man, Mr. Facing- both- 
ways, Mr. Any-thing ; and the parson of our parish, 
Mr. Two-tongues, was my mother's own brother by 
ftither's side : and, to tell you the truth, I am become 
a gentleman of good quality, yet my great grandfather 
\Vas but a waterman, looking one way and rowing ano- 
ther, and I got most of my estate by the same occupa-* 
tion. 

Chr. Are you a married man ? 

By-e. Yes, and my wife is a very virtuous woman, 
the daughter of a virtuous w^oman ; she was my Lady 
Feigning' s daughter, therefore she came of a very ho- 
nourable family, and is arrived to such a pitch of breed- 
ing, that she knows how to carry it to all, even to prince 
and peasant. It is true we somewhat differ in religion 
from those of the stricter sort, yet but in two smalt 
points : First, we never strive against wind and tide :— 
Secondly, we are always most zealous when Religion 
goes in his silver slippers ; we love much to walk with 
him in the street, if the sun shinesj and the people ap- 
plaud him.^" 

Then Christian stepped a little dside to his fellow 
Hopeful, saying, It runs in my mind, that this is on© 



* Is not this too much the case with professors of this day ? The Spirit of 
truth says, " All who live ^odly in Christ Jesus, shall sutler persecution." 
2 Tim. iii. 2. But how many act as if they had found the art of making 
the Spirit of truth a liar ? for they can so trim and shape their conduct^ as 
they vainly think, to follow Christ, and yet to keep in with the world whiic.H 
is at enmity ag-ain^t him, A most fatal, soiU-deceiving error I 

22 



170 THEY DISAGREE ABOUT KELIGION. 

By-ends, of Fair-speech ; and if it be he, we have as 
very a knave in our company as dwelleth in all these 
pars. Then said Hopeful, Ask him; methinks he 
shruld not be ashamed of his name. So Christian 
came up with him again, and said, Sir, you talk as if 
you knew something more than all the world doth; 
and, if I take not my mark amiss, I deem I have half 
a guess of 3 ou : is not your name Mr. By-ends, of 
Fair- speech? 

By-E. This is not my name ; but indeed it is a nick- 
name that is given me, by some that cannot abide me, 
and I must be content to bear it as a reproach, as other 
good men have borne their' s before me. 

Chr. But did you never give an occasion to men to 
call you by this name ? 

By-e. Never, never ! the worst that ever I did to 
give them an occasion to give me this name was, that I 
had always the luck to jump in my judgment with the 
present way of the times, whatever it was ; and my 
chance was to get thereby. But if things are thus cast 
upon me, let me count them a blessing ; but let not 
the malicious load me therefore with reproach.* 

Chr. I thought indeed that you were the man that 
I heard of; and, to tell you what I think, I fear this 
name belongs to you more properly than you are wil- 
ling we should think it doth. 

By-E. Well, if you will thus imagine, I cannot help 
it : you will find me a fail' company-keeper, if you will 
still admit me your associate. 

Chr. If you will go with us, you must go against 
wind and tide ; the which, I perceive, is against your 
opinion ; you must also own Religion in his rags, as 
well as when in his silver slippers ; and stand by him 
too when bound in irons as well as when he walketh the 
streets with applause. 



* How artful, how delusive, are the reasonings of such men. O beware 
of this spirit. In opposition to tl)is, watch and pvay e rnestly, that ye may 
not be double-minded, but sincere until the day of Christ. 



CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL WITHDRAW FROM HIM. 171 

By-E. You must not impose, nor lord it over my 
faith ; leave me to my liberty, and let me go with 
you. 

Chr. Not a step farther, unless you will do in what 
I propound as we. 

Then said By-ends, I shall never desert my o!d prin- 
ciples, since they are harmless and profitable. li I may 
not go with you, I must do as I did before you over- 
took me ; even go by myself, until some overtake me 
that will be glad of my company.* 

Then I saw in my dream, that Christian and Hopeful 
forsook him, and kept their distance before him ; but 
one of them looking back, saw three men following 
Mr. By-ends, and, behold, as they came up with him, 
he made them a very low congee ; and they also gave 
him a compliment. The men's names were, Mr. 
Hold-the- world, Mr. Money-love, and Mr. Save- all; 
men that Mr. By-ends had formerly been acquainted 
with ; for in tlteir minority they were schoolfellows, 
and were taught by one Mr. Gripeman, a schooimas- 
ter in Love-gain, which is a market-town in the county 
of Coveting, in the north. This schoolmaster taught 
them the art of getting, either by violence, cozenage, 
flattery, lying, or by putting on a guise of religion; and 
these four gentlemen had attained much of the art of 
their master, so that they could each of them have kept 
such a school themselves. 

Well, when they had, as I said, thus saluted each 
other, Mr. Money-love said to Mr. By-ends, Who arc 
they upon the road before us ? for Christian and Hope- 
ful were yet within view. 

By-E. They are a couple of far countrymen, tliat af- 
ter their mode are going on pilgrimage. 



* Mind how warilv Ihese pilgrims acted towards this deceitful professor. 
They did not too rashly take up an ill opinion ag-amst him : but when lliey 
liad full proof of what lie was, they did not hesitate one moment, but <lealt 
faithfully with him, and conscientiously withdrew from him. l.ovc should 
always move slowly in receiving- a report, but ever deal faitlifully when it is 
plain the men ai'c not what tiiey profess to be. 



172 DISCOURSE WITH BY-ENDS ABOUT THE riLGRIMSf 

Money. Alas! why did they not stay, that we might 
have had their good company ? for they, and we, and 
you, Sir, I hope, are going on pilgrimage. 

By-e. We are so indeed: but the men before us are 
,60 rigid, and love so much their oa\ii notions, and do 
also S0 lightly esteem the opinion of others, that let a 
man be never so godly, yet if he jumps not with them 
in all things, they thrust him quite out of their com- 
pany. 

Save. That's bad: but we read of some that are 
righteous over- much, and such men's rigidness prevails 
with them to judge and condemn all but themselves ; 
but I pray, -what and how many were the things A\'hereiii 
you differed ? 

By-e. Why they, after their headstrong manner, 
conclude, that it is their duty to Rish on their journey 
^11 weathers ; and I am for Avaiting for wind and tide. 
They are for hazarding all for God at a clap, and I am 
for taking all advantages to secure my life and estate. 
They are for holding their notions, though all other 
men be against them ; but I am for religion in \\-hat, 
and so far, as the times and my safety will bear it. 
They are for religion when in rags and contempt ; but 
I am for him when he Avalks in his golden slippers, in 
the sun- shine, and with applause.^ 

Hold. Av, and hold vou there still, g:ood Mr. Bv- 
ends : for my part, I can count him but a fool, that ha- 
ving the libertv to keep what he has, shall be so unwise 
as to loose it. Let us be wise as .serpents ; it is best 
to make hay while the sun shines ; you see how the 
bee lieth still in winter, and bestirs her only when she 
can have profit with pleasure. God sends sometimes 
rain and sometimes sun-shine : if they be such fools to 
go through the first, yet let us be content to take fair 



* Notwithstanding' By-ends could be reserved and upon his guard uitl-. 
faithful pilgrims, yet he can s])eak out boldly to tb.ose of his own &])irit and 
character. O tlie treachery of the desperate wicked heart ! V/h.o ca^i kno^^ 
*t ? No one, but the heart-searching (^od. 



BY-ENDS PROPOSES A QUESTION. 173 

weather along with us. For my pai't, I hke that reh- 
gion best, that will stand with the security of God's 
good blessings unto us : for who can imagine, that is 
ruled by his reason, since God has bestowed upon us 
the good things of this life, but that he would have us 
keep them for his sake ? Abraham and Solomon grew 
rich in religion. And Job says, that a good man *' shall 
lay up gold as dust.'* But he must not be such as the 
men before us, if they be as you have described them* 

Save. I think that we are all agreed in this matter, 
rtnd therefore there needs no more words about it. 

Money. No, there needs no more words about this 
inatter indeed ; for he that believes neither scripture 
nor reason, (and you see we hare both on our side,) 
neither knows his own libertv, nor seeks his own 
safety. 

By-e. My brethren, we are, as you see, going all on 
pilgrimage, and for our better dive^sion from things that 
are bad, give nie leave to propound unto you this ques- 
tion : 

Suppose a man, a minister or a tradesman, See. 
should have an advantage lie before him to get the 
good blessings of this life, yet so as that he can by no 
means come by them, except in appearance at least, he 
becomes extraordinary zealous in some points of reli- 
gion that he meddled not with before, — may he not 
use this means to attain his end, and yet be a right 
honest man ? 

Money. I see the bottom of your question; and, 
with these gentlemen's good leave, I will endeavour to 
shape you an answer. And first, to speak to your 
question, as it concerns a minister himself. Suppose 
a minister, a worthy man, possessed but of a verj^ 
small benefice, and has in his eye a greater, more fat 
and plump by far : he has also now an opportunity of 
getting it, yet so as by being more studious, by preach- 
ing more frequently and zealously, and because the 
femper of the people requires it, by altering of some of 



174 money-love's answer. 

his principles: for my part, I see no reason but a man 
may do this, provided he has a call, ay, and more a great 
deal besides, and yet be an honest man. For why ? 

1. His desire of a greater benefice is lawful ; this 
cannot be contradicted, since it is set before him by 
Providence ; so then he may get it if he can, making 
no question for conscience' sake. 

2. Besides, his desire after that benefice makes him 
more studious, a more zealous preacher, &c. and so 
makes him a better man, yea, makes him better improve 
his parts ; which is according to the mind of God. 

3. Now, as for the complying with the temper of 
his people by deserting, to serve them, some of his 
principles, this argueth that he is of a self-denying 
temper, of a sweet and winning deportment ; and so 
more fit for the ministerial function. 

4. I conclude, then, that a minister that changes a 
small for a great should not, for so doing, be judged 
as covetous ; but rather, since he is improved in his 
parts and industry thereby, be counted as one that pur» 
sues his call, and the opportunity put into his hand to 
do good. 

And now to the second part of the question, which 
concerns the tradesman you mentioned : suppose such 
an one to have but a poor employ in the world ; but 
by becoming religious he may mend his market, per- 
haps get a rich wife, or more and far better customers 
to his shop. For my part, I see no reason but this may 
be lawfully done. For why ? 

1. To become religious is a virtue, by what means 
soever a man becomes so. 

2. Nor is it unlawful to get a rich wife, or more 
custom to my shop. 

3. Besides, the man that gets these by becoming re- 
,^ ligious, gets that which is good, of them that are good, 

by becoming good himself; so then here is a good 
wife, and good customers, and good gain, and all these 
by becoming religious, which is good : therefore, to 



THEY PKOPOSE THE QUESTION TO THE PILGRIMS. 175 

become religious to get all these is a good and profita- 
ble design.^ 

This answer, thus made by this Mr. Money-love to 
Mr. By-ends's question, was highly applauded by them 
all ; wherefore they concluded upon the whole that it 
was most wholesome and advantageous. And because, 
as they thought, no man was able to contradict it, and 
because Christian and Hopeful were yet within call, 
they jointly agreed to assault tlicm with this question 
as soon as thev overtook them : and the rather, because 
tliey had opposed Mr. By-ends before. So they called 
after them, and they stopped, and stood still till they 
came up to them : but they concluded, as they went, 
that not Mr. By-ends, but old Mr. Hold-the- world, 
should propound the question to them ; because, as 
they supposed, their ans^ver to him would be without 
the remainder of that heat that was kindled between 
Mr. Bv-ends and them at their parting a little before. 

So they came up to each other, and iifter a short sa- 
lutation, Mr. Hold-the-world propounded the question 
to Christian and his fellow, and bid them to answer it 
if they could. 

Then said Christian, Even a babe in religion may 
answer ten thousand such questions. For if it be un- 
lawful to follow Christ for loaves, as it is, John, vi. how- 
much more is it abominable to make of him and reli- 
gion a stalking horse, to get and enjoy the world ? Nor 
do we find any other than heathens, hj^pocrites, devils, 
and witches, that are of this opinion. 

Heathens : for whom Hamor and Shechem had a 
Hiind to the daughter and cattle of Jacob, and saw that 



* Here is worldly wisdom, infernal logic, and the sopliistry of Satan, 
We hear this lang-uapfe daily from money-loving* professors, who are desti- 
tute of the power of faith, and the reasoning- of godliness. But in oppo- 
sition to all this, the Holy Ghost testifies, " the love of money is the root 
«f all evil.*' 1 Tim. vi. 10. and a covetous man is an idolater. Col iii 5. 
Hear this and tremble, ye avaricious professors. Remember, ye follow- 
ers of the Lamb, ye are called to let your conversation be without covet- 
cousness. Heb. xiii. 5. Your Lord testifies, ye cannot serve God and 
mamman, Luke xvi. 13. 



176 Christian answers it scripturally. 

there were no ways for them to come at them, but by 
becoming circumcised ; they say to their companions, 
" If every male of us be circumcised, as they are cir- 
cumcised, shall not their cattle, and their substance, 
and every beast of theirSj be ours?" Their daughters 
and their cattle were that which they sought to obtain, 
and their religion the stalking horse they made use of 
to come at them. Read the whole story. Genesis xxiv. 
20—24. 

The hypocriticab Pharisees were also of this reli- 
gion : long prayers were their pretence : but to get 
widows' houses was their intent, and greater damna 
tion was from God their judgment. (a) 

Judas the devil was also of this religion : he was re- 
ligious for the bag, that he might be possessed of what 
was therein ; but he was lost, a cast-away, and the very 
son of perdition. 

Simon the witch Vv^as of this religion too ; for he 
Would have had the Holy Ghost, that he might have 
got money therewith ; and his sentence from Peter's 
mouth was accordingly. (^) 

Neither will it go out of my mind, but that that man, 
that takes up religion for the world, will throw away re- 
ligion for the world ; for so surely as Judas designed 
the world in becoming religious, so surely did he also 
sell religion and his Master for the same.— To answer 
the question therefore affirmatively, as I perceive you 
have done, and to accept of, as authentic, such answ^er, 
is both heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish ; and your 
reward will be according to your works. — Then they 
stood staring one upon another, but had not ^vherewith 
to answer Christian, Hopeful also approved of the 
soundness of Christian's answer ; so there was a great 
silence among them. Mr. By-ends and his company 
also staggered and kept behind, that Christian and 
Hopeful might outgo them. Then said Christian to hisr 



(a) Luke xx. 46, 47., (^) Acts viii. 18—23, 



TOE HILL LUCKE; A SILVER MINE J AND DEMAS. 177 

fellow, If these men cannot stand before the sentence 
of men, what will they do with the sentence of God ? 
And, if they are mute when dealt with by vessels of 
clay, what will they do when they shall be rebuked by 
the flames of a devouring fire ?^ 

Then Christian and Hopeful outwent them again, 
and went till they came to a delicate plain, Ccilled Ease ; 
v/here they went with much content : but that plaint 
was but narrow, so they were quickly got over it» 
Now at the further side of tliat plain was a little hill, 
called Lucre, and in that hill a silver mJne, which some 
of them that had formerly gone that way, because of 
the rarity of it, had turned aside to see ; but going too 
near the brim of the pit, the ground, being deceitful 
Under them, broke, and they were slain : some also had 
been maimed there, and could not, to their dying day, 
be their own men again. 

Then I saw in my dream, that a little off the road> 
over-against the silver mine, stood Demas, (gentleman- 
like) to call passengers to come and see ; who said to 
Christian and his fellow, Ho ! turn aside hither, and I 
will show you a thing. 

Chr. What thing so deserving as to turn us out of 
the way to see it ? 

Demas. Here is a silver mine, and some digging in 
it for treasure ; if you will come, with a little pains you 
may richly provide for yourselves* 

Then said Hopeful, Let us go. 

Not I, said Christian ; I have heard of this place be« 
fore now, and how many have been slain there ; and 



* Here see the blessedness of being" mighty in the scripture, and the need 
of that exhortation, " Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Col. iiii 
16. For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two- 
sdg^ed sword. It pierces through all the subtle devices of Satan, and the 
cunning craftiness of carnal professors, and divideth asunder the carnai 
sreasmiiyn,^3 of the flesh, and the spiritual wisdom which cometh from above/ 

23 



178 DEMAS TRIES TO ENSiVARE THE PILGRIMS* 

besides, that treasure is a snare to those that seek it ; 
for it hindereth them in their pilgrimage.'^ 

Then Christian called to Demas, saying, Is not the 
place dangerous ? hath it not hindered many in their 
pilgrimage? 

Demas. Not very dangerous, except to those that 
are careless.^ — But withal he blushed as he spake. 

Then said Christian to Hopeful, Let us not stir a 
step, but still keep on our way. 

Hope. I will warrant you, when By-ends comes up, 
if he hath the same invitation as we, he wdll turn in 
thither to see. 

Chr. No doubt thereof, for his principles lead him 
that way, and a hundred to one but he dies there. 

Then Demas called again, saying, but will you not 
come over and see ? 

Then Christian roundly answered, saying, Demas, 
thou art an enemy to the right ways of the Lord of this 
way, and hast been already condemned, for thine own 
turning aside, by one of his Majesty's judges ; (a) and 
why seekest thou to bring us into the like condemna- 
tion ? Besides, if we at all turn aside, our Lord the 
King will certainly hear thereof, and will there put us 
to shame, where we should stand with boldness before 
him. 

Demas cried again, That he also was one of their 
fraternity ; and that if they would tarry a little, he also 
himself would walk with them. 

Then said Christian, What is thv name ? Is it not 
-the same by the which I have called thee ? 

Demas. Yes, my name is Demas ; I am the son of 
Abraham. ~ 



* See the value of a faitliful friend. But how few act so faithfully ? How 
. few professors will bear it ? What ! hold a man back from g-ettin,^ money ? 
. O how few are aware that covetousness -is idolatry ? and attend to our Lord's 
double caution, " Takeiieecil, and beware of covetousness." Luke xii. 13. 

C«)2Tim.iy. 10. 



THE monument; ou lot's wife,. 179 

Chr. I know you ; Gehazi was your great grandfa- 
ther, and Judas your father, and you have trod in their 
steps ; it is but a devihsh prank that thou usest : thy 
father was hanged for a traitor, and thou deservest no 
better reward. (a) Assure thyself, that when we come 
to the King, we will tell him of this thy beha^'iour. 
Thus they went their way. 

By this time By-ends and his companions were come 
again within sight, and they at the first beck went over 
to Demas. Now, whether they fell into the pit by 
looking over the brink thereof, or whether they went 
down to dig, or whether they were smothered in the 
bottom, by the damps that commonly arise, of these 
things I am not certain ; but this I observed, that they 
never were seen again in the way.* — Then sang Chris- 
tian : 

« By-ends and silver Demas did agree ; 
One calls, the other runs, that he may be 
A sharer in his lucre ; so these do 
Take up in this world, and no further go." 

Now I saw that, just on the other side of this plain, 
the pilgrims came to a place where stood an old monu- 
ment, hard by the highway side, at the sight of which 
they were both concerned, because of the strangeness 
of the form thereof, for it seemed to them as if it had 
been a woman transformed into the shape of a pillar. 
Here therefore they stood looking, and looking upon it ; 
but could not for a time tell what they should make 
thereof : at last Hopeful spied written upon the head 
thereof, a writing in an unusual hand ; but he, being- 
no scholar, called to Christian (for he was learned) to 
see if he could pick out the meaning ; so he came and 



* Here yo\i see the end of double-mhuled men, who vainly attempt to 
unite the love of money with the love of Christ. They go on with their art 
for a season, but the end makes it manifest what they were. Take David's 
advice, " Fret not thyself because of evildoers;" Psalm xxxvii. 1. "Be 
not thou afraid wlien one is made rich, and the glory of his house is in- 
creased." xlix. 16. But go thou into the sanctuary of thy God, read hi« 
word, and understand the end of these men, 

(a) 2 Kings v. 20— 27. Matt. xxvi. 14, 15, xxvil. 3— .'?•. 



JISO THK PILGRIMS DISCOURSE ABOUT HER. 

after a little laying of the letters together, he found the 
same to be this, "Remember Lot's wife." So he 
read it to his fellow ; after which they both concluded, 
that this was the pillar of salt into which Lot's wife was 
turned, for looking back with a covetous heart, when 
she was going from Sodom for safety. («) "Which sud- 
den and amazing sight gave them occasion of this dis- 
course. 

Chr. Ah, my brother ! this is a seasonable sight : it 
came opportunely to us after the invitation which De- 
mas gave us to come over to view the hill Lucre ; and 
had we gone over, as he desired us, and as thou wast in- 
clined to do, my brother, we had, for aught I know, 
been made like this woman, a spectacle for those that 
shall come after to behold. 

Hope. I am sorry that I was so foolish, and am made 
to v/onder that I am not now as Lot's wife ; for where- 
in was the difference betwixt her sin and mine ? she 
only looked back, and I had a desire to go see : let 
grace be adored, and let me be ashamed that ever such 
a thing should be in mine hearto*' 

Chr. Let us take notice of what we see here for 
pur help for time to come : This woman escaped one 
judgment ; for she fell not by the destruction of So- 
dom, yet she w^as destroy'ed by another, as we see, she 
is turned into a pillar of salt. 

Hope. True, and she may be to iis both caution 
and example ; caution, that \ve should shun her sin ; 
or a sign of what judgment will overtake such as shall 
not be prevented by such caution : so Corah, Dathan, 
and Abiram, with the two hundred and fifty men that 
perished in their sin, did also become a sign or exam- 



* Suph is the effeet of the grace of God in the heart of a pilgrim ; wl^ile 
on the' one hand he sees many propensities of his evil nature to every sin 
which has been committed by others, and is grieved, he also confesses, that 
by no power of his own he is preserved, but ever gives all the glory to the 
God of all grace, by whose power alone he is kept from falling. ** Tlwii 
Blandest by faith, be not high-minded but fear." Rom. xi. 20. 

(fl) Gen. xix. ^6. 



FURTHER DISCOURSE ABOUT LOT*S WIFE. 181 

pie to beware. («) But above all, I muse at one thing, 
to wit, how Demas and his felloAvs can stand so confi- 
dently yonder to look for that treasure, which this wo- 
man, but for looking behind her, after (for we read not 
that she stept one foot out of the way,) was turned into 
a pillar of salt ; especially since the judgment which 
overtook her, did make her an example within sight of 
where they are : for they cannot but choose to see her, 
did they but lift up their eyes. 

Chr. It is a thing to be wondered at, and itargueth 
that their hearts are grown desperate in that case ; and 
I cannot tell whom to compare them to so fitly, as to 
them that pick pockets in the presence of the judge, or 
that will cut purses under the gallows. It is said of 
the men of Sodom, that " they were sinners exceeding- 
ly," because they were sinners *' before the Lord," 
that is, in his eye-sight, and notwithstanding the kind- 
ness that he had showed them ; for the land of Sodom 
was now like the garden of Eden heretofore, (i^) Tliis 
therefore provoked him the more to jealousy, and made 
their plague as hot as the fire of the Lord out of hea- 
ven could make it. And it is most rationally to be con- 
cluded, that such, even such as these are, who shall sin 
in the sight, yea, and that too in despite, of such exam- 
ples as are set continually before them, to caution them 
to the contrary, must be partakers of the severest judg- 
ment. 

Hope. Doubtless thou hast said the truth; but 
what a mercy is it, that neither thou, but especially I, 
am not made myself this example ! This ministereth 
occasion to us to thank God, to fear before him, and 
always to *' remember Lot's wife." 



(a) Numb. xxvi. 9, 10. (b) Gen. xiii. 10—13. 



182 THE RrVER OF THE WATER OP LIFE. 



CHAPTER XV. 

CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL MISTAKE THEIR WAY, AND 
FALL INTO THE HANDS OF GIANT DESPAIR. 

I SAW then, that they went on thek way to a plea- 
sant river, which David the king called "the river of 
God ;" but John, " the river of the water of life."^(«) 
Now their way lay just upon the bank of the river : 
here therefore Christian and his companion walked with 
great delight : they drank also of the water of the river, 
which was pleasant, and enlivening to their weary spi. 
rits. Besides, on the banks of this river, on either 
side, were green trees, for all manner of fruit ; and the 
leaves they ate to prevent surfeits, and other diseases 
that are incident to those that heat their blood by tra- 
vels. On either side of the river was also a meadow, 
curiously beautified with lilies ; and it was green all 
the year long. In this meadow they lay down and 
slept: for here they might lie down safely. (^) When 
they awoke, they gathered again of the fruits of the 
trees, and drank again of the water of the river, and 



* By this river, which is called "a pure rivei* of water of h'f.^ clear as 
crystal, proceeding' out of the throne of God and the Lamb," Rev. xxii. L 
we may understand, tiie clear and comfortable views with whicli they were 
favoured of God's love and grace. This river of God, this water of life, 
was clear as crystal : They could see in it God's glory shining- in the 
face of Jesus Christ, and view th.eir own faces in it to their inexpressible 
joy. This is the river, "the streams whereof make glad the city of God." 
Psal. xlvi. 4. The streams which flow from this river of love, are justifica- 
tion by faith in Christ, sanctitication, and all joy and peace in believing, 
from the Spirit of Christ. All this these pilgrims now enjoyed, and all 
this every fellovv-citizen of the saints are called to enjoy, in their pilgrim- 
age to Zion. This river of life proceedeth out of the throne oi God and 
the Lamb. For God hath chosen those (who have fled for refuge) in 
Christ, and blessed us with all spiritual blessings in him ; and they are all 
freely communicated to us out of Christ's fulness. O how happy, peaceful, 
and joyful are pilgrims, when the Spirit takes of the things of Christ, shows 
them to us,' and blesses us with a constant sense of, and interest in the love 
of God, and salvation of Jesus ! 

(a) Ps. Ixv. 9. Ezck. xlvii. 1. llev, :cxii. 1. {b) Ps. 'xxiii. Isa. xiv. 30. 



ROUGH ROAD. BY-rATH-MEADOW. 183 

then lay down again to sleep. Thus they did several 
days and nights. Then they sang : 

" Behold ye how those crystal sireams do glide, 
To comfort pilgrims by the highway side. 
The meadows green, besides the fragrant smell, 
Yield dainties for them : And he that can tell 
What pleasant fruit, yea, leaves these trees do yield, 
Will soon sell all, that he may buy this field. 

So when they were disposed to go on (for they were 
not as yet at their journey's end,) they ate, and drank, 
and departed. 

Nov/ I beheld in my dream, that they had not jour- 
neyed far but the river and the way for a time parted ; 
at which they were not a little sorry, yet they durst 
not go out of the way. Now the way from the river 
was rough, and their feet tender by reason of their tra- 
vels : so the souls of the pilgrims were much discoura- 
ged because of the way. (a) Wherefore still as they 
went on, they wished for a better way."^ Now a little 
before them, there was on the left hand of the road 
a meadow, and a stile to go over into it ; and that 
meadow is called By-path-meadow. f Then said Chris- 
tian to his fellow", If this meadow lieth along by our 
way-side let us go over into it. Then he went to the 
stile to see, and, behold, a path lay along by the way 
on the other side of the fence. 'Tis according to my 



* Pil^ims have their discouragements as well as their joys : yet they 
should take their way as they find it, sometimes rough, at others smooth ; 
-they may at times be sorry to part with their comforts, and wish the way 
was smoother : so they did here. Lo, their wishes were answered ; but 
mark the consequences. Lord lead me in the way everlasting^ ! 

I Beware of this by-path-meadow, it Is on the left hand. Oh how many 
are walking securely, confidently, and comfortably in it, while every step 
they take endangers their destruction. The transition into it is easy, for 
it lies close to the right way, only you must get over a stile ; that is, you 
must quit Christ's protection, trust in your own wisdom, and then you aro 
in by-patli-meadow directly. . . 

(a) Numb. xxi. 4. 



184 VAIN- confidence's fall* 

wish, said Christian ; here is the easiest going ; cOmcy 
good Hopeful, and let us go over.* 

Hope. But how if this path should lead us out of 
the way ? 

That's not likely, said the other. Look, doth it 
not go along by the way-side ?--^So Hopeful, being 
persuaded by his fellow, went after him over the stile* 
When they were gone over, and were got into the 
path, they found it very easy for their feet ; and, 
withal, they looking before them, spied a man walking 
as they did, and his name was Vain-confidence : so 
they called after him, and asked him whither that way 
led ? He said, to the celestial gate. Look, said Chris-, 
tian, did not I tell you so ? by this you may see we 
are right : so they followed, and he w^ent before them. 
But, behold, the night came on, and it grew very 
dark ; so that they that went behind lost the sight 
of him that went before* 

He therefore that went before, (Vain- confidence by 
name,) not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep 
pit, (a) which was on purpose there made by the prince 
of those grounds, to catch vain-glorious fools withal, 
and was dashed in pieces with his fall.f 

Now Christian and his fellow heard him fall : so 
they called to know the matter ; but there was none to 
answer, only they heard a groaning. Then said Hope- 
ful, Where are we now ? Then was his fellow silent, 



* Ah ! how easy are our eyes deceived, our hearts mistaken, and dlir feet 
perverted from the right way ! Shepherd of Israel, thou knowest to err is 
human ; keep us from erring-, guide us continually, and when we do stray. 
Lord reclaim us. 

f " There is a way that seems right unt6 a man, but the end thereof are 
the ways of death." Prov. xiv. 12. Vain confidence is this very way. O 
how easy do professors get into it ; yea, pilgrims are prone also to take up 
with it, owing to that legality, pride and self-righteousness, which work in 
their fallen nature, till cleansed by the blood of Jesus. See the end of it 
and tremble. For it leads to darkness and ends in death. Lord humble 
our proud hearts, and empty us of self-righteousness, pride and vain-confi- 
dence. 

(a) Isa. is, 16. 



4)HRISTIAN REPENTS OF HAVING MISLED HOPEFUL. 185' 

as mistrusting that he had led him out of the war* 
And now it began to rain, and thunder, and lighten, in 
k most dreadful manner ; and the waters rose amain. *^ 

Then Hopeful groaned in himself, saying, " Oh that 
I had kept on my way !" 

Chr. Who could have thought that this path should 
have led us out of the wav ? 

Hope. I was afraid on't at the very first, and there- 
fore gave you that gentle caution. I would have spoke 
plainer, but you are older than L 

Chr. Good brother, be not offended ; I am sorry I 
have brought thee out of the way, and that I have put 
thee into such imminent danger : pray, my brother, for- 
give me ; I did not do it of an evil intent. f 

Hope. Be comforted j my brother, for I forgive 
thee ; and believe too, that this shall be for good. 

Chr. I am elad I have with me a merciful brother: 
but we must not stand thus ; let us try to go back 
again. 

Hope. But, good brother, let me go before. 

Chr. No, if you please, let me go first, that if there 
be any danger I may be first therein ; because by my 
means we are both gone out of the way. 

No, said Hopeful, you shall not go first ; for your 
mind being troubled, may lead you out of the way 
again. Then, for their encouragement, they heard the 
voice of one saying, *' Let thine heart be towards the 
highway ; even the way that thou vi^entest turn 
again. "J(a) But by this time the waters were greatly 
risen, by reason of which, the way of going back was 



* Getting- into by-path-meadow, and walking in vain-confidence, will surC" 
}y bring" on terrors, thunderings and lightninirs from mount Sinai. 

f Here see, that as Christians are made helpful, so also they are liable to 
prove hurtful to each other. Bui observe how grace works ! it humbles, it 
makes the soul confess and be sorry for its misfortunes ; here is no reviling 
one another, but a tender sympathy and feeling concern for each other. O \he 
mighty power of that grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ ! how 
does it cement soids in the fellowship of love ? 

^ This is Christ: he is the way, the only way, the highway of justificft'*^ 
tion and Jioliness, 

(«) Jer. xxxi.21v 
9A 



18G GIAKT UESPAIR; DOUBTIiSG CASTLE: 

very dangerous. (Then I thought that it is easier 
going out of the way when we are in, than going 
in when we are out.) Yet they adventured to go 
back ; but it was so dark, and the flood was so high, 
that in their going back they had hke to have been 
drowned, nine or ten times. 

Neither could they, with all the skill they had, get 
again to the stile that night. Wherefore at last, light- 
ing under a littk shelter, they sat down there, till the 
day-break : but being weary, they fell asleep. Now 
there was, not far from the place where they lay, a cas- 
tle, called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof, was 
Giant Despair:"^" and it was in his grounds they were 
now sleeping. Wherefore he getting up in the morn- 
ing early, and walking up and down in his fields, 
caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. 
Then with a grim and surly voice, he bid them awake, 
and asked them whence they were, and what they did 
in his grounds? They told him they were pilgrims, 
and that they had lost their way. Then said the 
giant. You have this night trespassed on me, by tramp- 
ling in, and lying on my ground, and therefore you 
must go along with me. So they were forced to go, 
because he was stron2:er than thev. Thev also had 
but little to sav : for thev knew themselves in a fault. 
The giant, therefore, drove them before him, and put 
them into his castle in a very dark duns:eon, nastv and 
stinking to the spirits of these two men. Here then 
they lay, from Wednesday morning till Saturday night, 
without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or 
any to ask how they did : they were, therefore, here in 
evil case, and were far from friends and acquaint- 
ance. («) Now in this place Christian had double sor- 



* Sooner or later Doubting- Castle will be tlie prison, and Gbnt Despair 
the keeper of all those who turn aside from Christ, to trus! in any wise ijv 
themselves, " God is a jealous God ;" ever jealous of his own glory, and 
of the honour of his beloved Son. 

(^) Ps. }xxxviii. 8. 



THEIR SUFFERINGS IN THE DUNGEON.' 187 

row, because it was througli his unadvised couns.';i 
that they were brought into this distress.'^" 

Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was 
Diffidence : so when he was gone to bed, he told his 
wife what he had done ; to wit, that lie had taken 
a couple of prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon, 
for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her 
also, what he had best do further to them. So she 
asked what they were, whence they came, and whither 
they were bound — and he told her. Then she coun- 
selled him that when he arose in the morning, he 
should beat them without mercy. So when he arose, 
he getteth a grievous crab- tree cudgel, and goes down 
into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating 
of them as if they were dogs, although they gave him 
never a word of distaste : then he falls upon them, and 
beat them fearfully, in such sort, that they were not 
able to help themselves, or turn them upon the floor. 
This done, he withdraws, and leaves them there to 
condole their misery, and to mourn under their dis- 
tress : so all that day they spent their time in nothing 
but sighs and bitter lamentations. The next night she 
talked with her husband about them further, and un- 
derstanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to 
counsel them to make away with themselves : so when 
morning was come, he goes to them in a surly man- 
ner as before, and, perceiving them to be very sore 
with the stripes that he had given them the day before, he 
told them that, since they were never like to come out 
of that place, their only way would be forthwith to 
make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, 
or poison : for why, said he, should you choose life, 
seeing it is attended with so much bitterness? 3ut 



* Vv'^hat ! so iiig-hly favoured Christians in Doubting' Castle ? Is it possi- 
ble, after having- travelled so far in the way of Salvation, seen so many glo« 
rious things in that way, experienced so much of the grace and love of their 
Lord, and having* so often proved his faitlifulness, yet after all this to get 
into Doubting Castle. Surely it is not the will of Cod, but the effects of 
(inljclicf. 



188 CHRISTIAN TEMPTED TO SELF-MUllDER ; 

th^y desired him to let them go. With that he looked 
ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless 
made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one 
of his fits, (for he sometimes in sun-shiny weather fell 
into fits,) and lost for a time the use of his hand. 
Wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before to 
consider what to do. Then did the prisoners consult 
between themselves, whether it was best to take his 
counsel or no ; and thus they began to discourse :* 

Brother, said Christian, what shall we do ? The life 
that we now live is miserable ! for my part, I know 
not whether it is best to live thus, or die out of hand ; 
" my soul choQseth strangling rather than life, "(a) and 
the grave is more easy for me than this dungeon! Shall 
we be ruled by the giant ?f 

Hope. Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and 
death would be far more welcome to me, than thus for 
ever to abide : but yet let us consider ; the Lord of 
the country to which we ai'e going hath said, " Thou 
shalt do no murder;'' no, not to another man's per- 
son ; much more then are w^e forbidden to take the 
giant's counsel, to kill ourselves. Besides, he that 
kills another, can but commit murder upon his body : 
but, for one to kill himself, is to kill body and soul at 
once. And moreover, my brother, thou talkest of 
ease in the grave, but hast thou forgotten the hell 
w^hither for certain the murderers go ? for *' no mur- 



* See the working- of despair. Where is now their faith in, love to, anci 
dependence upon their Lord? A.las ? all seems as at the last gasp. But ob- 
serve, under their prevailing- distress and black despondency, even when de- 
spair had almost made an end of them, they had a lucid interval when Giant 
Despair is seized with a fit, so that God's mercy is great : for says Paul, 
" we are perplexed, but not in despair." 2 Cor. iv. 1. 

f Poor Christian! what! tempted to destroy thyself! Lord, what is 
man ! But mark the truth of that word, " There hath no temptation taken 
you, but such as is common to man :" but God is faitliful, who will not 
sufier you to be tempted above that ye are able ; but will, with the tempta- 
tion also make a way to escape, that we nlay be able to bear it^ 1 Cor. x- 12. 

(a) Job Yii, li^. 



HOrlCrUL WARNS AND ENCOXTRAGES HIM. 189 

derer hath eternal life," &c. And let us consider 
again, that all the law is not in the hand of Giant 
Despair : others, so far as I can understand, have been 
taken by him as well as we, and yet have escaped out 
of his hands. Who knows, but that God, who made 
the- world, may cause that Giant Despair may die, or 
that, at some time or other he may forget to lock 
us in ; or that he may in a short time, have another of 
his fits before us, and may lose the use of his limbs ? 
and if ever that should come to pass again, for my part, 
» I am resolved to pluck up the heart of a man, and to 
try my utmost to get from under his hand.^ I w^as a 
fool that I did not try to do it before ; but however, 
my brother, let us be patient, and endure a while ; the 
time may come that may give us a happy release : but 
let us not be our own murderers. With these words, 
Hopeful at present did moderate the mind of his bro- 
ther; so ihey continued together in the dark that day 
in their sad and doleful condition. 

Well, towards evening the giant goes down into the 
dungeon again, to see if his prisoners had taken his 
counsel : but when he came there, he found them 
alive ; and truly, alive was all ; for now, what for want 
of bread and water, and by reason of the wounds they 
received when he beat them, they could do little but 
breathe. But, I say, he found them alive ; at which 
he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that, seeing 
they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with 
them than if they had never been born. 

At this they trembled greatly, and I think that Chris- 
tian fell into a swoon ; but, coming a little to himself 
again, they renewed their discourse about the gi- 
ant's counsel, and whether yet they had best take it or 



* Perceive how a fit of despair robs a Christian of his courage, reason, 
and graces. But one single thought of the love, power, and grace of a 
God in Christ, elevate's the Christian's ii^ind with hope. 



190 THE COUNSEL OF GIANT DESPAIR*S WIFE*^ 

no. Now Christian again seemed to be for doing if, 
but Hopeful made his second reply as foUoweth : 

My brother, said he, rememberest thou not how va- 
liant thou hast been heretofore? Apollyon could not 
crush thee, nor could all that thou couldst hear, or see, 
or feel, in the valley of the Shadow of Death ; what 
hardship, terror, and amazement, hast thou already 
gone through, and art thou now nothing but fears? 
Thou seest that I am in the dungeon with thee, a far 
weaker man by nature than thou art ; also the giant 
has wounded me as well as thee, and hath also cut olF 
the bread and water from my mouth, and wdth that I 
mourn without the light. But let us exercise a little 
more patience : remember how thou playedst the man 
at Vanity fair, and was neither afraid of the chain 
or cage, nor yet of bloody death ; wherefore, let us, at 
least, to avoid the shame that becomes not a Christian 
to be found in, bear up with patience, as well as we 
can.^ 

Now night being come again, and the giant and his 
wife being in bed, she asked him concerning the pri- 
aoners, and if they had taken his counsel : — to which 
he replied, They are sturdy rogues ; they choose ra- 
ther to bear all hardship than to make away witii them- 
selves. Then said she. Take them into the castle- 
yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and sculls 
of those thou hast already despatched, and make them 



* Here is tl.e blessing- of a hopeful corr.panion. Here is excellent counsel. 
Let vain professors say what they may against experience and looking back. 
to past experiences : It is most certainly good and right so to do ; not to en- 
courage present sloth and presumption, but to excite fresh confidence of 
hope in the Lord. We have David's example, and Paul's word to encou- 
rage us to this ; says David — " The Lord who delivered me out of the paw 
of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the 
Land of the uncircumcised Philistine.'* 1 Sam. xvii. 37. And says Paul, 
We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in our- 
selves, but in God, who raiseth the dead — There mind the alone object of 
faith and hope, and see the reasoning on past experiences of God's mercy; 
&r it is he — " who delivers us from so great a death : and doth deliver. Id 
whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.'* 2 Cor. i. 10 



THE PILGRIMS HAVE RECOURSE TO PRAYER. 191 

believe, ere a week comes to an end, thou also wilt 
tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows be^ 
fore them. 

So when the morning was come, the giant goes to 
them again, and takes them into the castle-yard, and 
shows them, as his wife had bidden him : These, said 
he, were pilgrims as you are, once ; and they trespass- 
ed in my grounds, as you have done ; and when I 
thought fit I tore them in pieces, and so within ten days 
I will do you ; get you down into your den again : — 
and with that he beat them all the way thither. They 
lay therefore all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, 
as before. Now, when night was come, and when 
Mrs. Diffidence and her husband the giant were got to 
bed, they began to renew their discourse of their pri- 
soners ; and, withal, the old giant wondered, that he 
could neither by his blows nor counsel bring them to 
an end. And with that his wife replied, I fear, said 
she, that they live in hopes that some will come to re- 
lieve them, or that they have picklocks about them, by 
the means of which they hope to escape. And sayest 
thou so, my dear ? said the giant ; I will therefore 
search them in the morning. 

Well, on Saturday about midnight they began to 
pray, and continued in prayer till almost break of day.^' 

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one 
half amazed, brake out in this passionate speech : What 
a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking dun- 
geon, when I may as well walk at liberty ? I have a 
key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am per- 
suaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle. Then said 



* What ? Pray in custody of Giatit Despair, in the midst of Doubtinj^ 
Castle, and when their own folly brought them there too ! Yes, mind this, 
ye FilgTiras, ye are exhorted, " I will that men pray every where — with- 
out doubting-. 1 Tim. ii. 8. We can be in no place, but God can hear, 
nor in any circumstance, but God is able to deliver from. And be assured, 
when the spirit of prayer comes, deliverance is nig-h ut hand. So it v. as 
bere, 



192 THE KEY promise; THEIil ESCAPE. 

Hopeful, that's good news, good brother, pluck it out 
of thy bosom, and try.* 

Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and be- 
gan to try at the dungeon door ; whose bolt, as he 
turned the key, gave back, and the door fiew open with 
ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Theii 
he went to the outward door that leads into the castle- 
yard, and with this key opened that door also. After, 
he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too^ 
but that lock went very hard ; yet the key did open it. 
Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape 
with speed ; but that gate as it opened, made such a 
cracking, that it waked Giant Despair, who hastily rising 
to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits 
took him again, so that he could by no means go after 
them. Then they went on, and came to the king's 
highway, and so were safe, because they were out of 
his jurisdiction.! 

Now, when they w^ere gone over the stile, they be- 
gan to contrive with themselves what they should do at 
tliat stile, to prevent those that should come after from 
falling into the hand of Giant Despair. So they con- 
sented to erect there a pillar, and to engrave upon the 
side thereof this sentence, *'Over this stile is the way 
to Doubting Castle, which is kept by Giant Despair, 
who despiseth the king of the Celestial Country, and 
seeks to destroy the holy pilgrims." Many therefore 



* Precious Promise ! The promises of God irt Christ, are the life of faith, 
and tlie quickeners of prayer. O how oft do we neglect God's great and 
precious promises in Christ Jesus, while doubts and despair keep us pri- 
soners ? So it was with these pilgrims : they were kept under hard bondage 
of soul for four days. Hence see what it is to grieve the Spirit of God, 
and dread it. For he only is the Comforter. And if we cause him to with- 
draw his influences, who or what can comfort us ? Though precious pro- 
tnlses are revealed in the word, yet we can g-et no comfort from them, but 
by the grace of the Spirit. 

f Mind, though the Spirit works deliverance and brings comfort, yet ii 
is by means of the word of Promise ; for as we depart from and dishonour 
God by unbelief, so we come back to and honour him, by believing his word 
of grace to us through his beloved Son, In this way the Spirit brings de- 
ilvej'ance. 



i)A?yGER ESCAPED BY MEANS OF THE PILLAR. 19d 

that followed after, read what was written, and escaped 
the danger.^ — This done they sang as follows : 



** Out of the way we went, and then we found 
What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground ; 
And let them that come after have a care 
Lest they, for trespassing, his pris*ners are 
Whose castle's Doubting, and whose name's Despair 



ir." J 



* Recording our own observations, and the experience we have had of 
God's dealing with our souls, are made of special and peculiar use to our 
fellow Christians. But let us ever take heed of self-exalting ; ever remem- 
bering that all Christian experience is to humble the soul, and exalt the Sa- 
viour As here these two pilgrims, by their own folly, got into Doubting- 
Castle ; so it was by faith in the promise that they escaped from it. This 
pillar was a memento to their shame, while it was a monument of God's 
free favour in Clirist to them. 

Reader ? have you, through unbelief, been brought into doubts ; and has 
the Lord, in his great mercy, sent deliverance to your soul ? Keep then, your 
ftiith in continual exercise, while you take up the following Hues : 

Son of God, if thy free grace 

Again hath rais'd me up, 
Call'd me still to seek thy fcice. 

And given me back my hope : 
Still thy timely help afford, 
And all thy loving-kindness show ; 
Keep me, keep me, gracious Lordj 

And never let me go. 

By me, O my Saviour, standi 

In sore temptation's hour. 
Save me with thine out-stretch'd hand. 

And shew forth all tliy power i 
O be mindful of thy word ; 
Thy all-sufficient grace bestow. 
Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord, 

And never let me go. 

Give me, Lord, a holy fear. 

And fix it in my heart ; 
That I may when doubts appear^ 

With timely care depart ; 
Sin be more than hell abhor'd. 
Till thou destroy the tyrant foe ; 
Keep me, keep me, gracious Lord-i 
And never let me go. 
^5 



^. 



194 rrilE SHEPHERDS ENTERTAIN' THE PILGRIMS V 
CHAPTER XVI. 

I'HE PiLGRms ENTERTAINED RY THE SHEPHERDS 0% 
THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. 

They went then till they came to the Delectable 
Mountains ; which mountains belong to the Lord of 
that hill, of which we have spoken before : so they 
w^ent up the mountains, to behold the gardens and or- 
chards, the vineyards, and fountains of water ; where al- 
so they drank and washed themselves, and did freely 
eat of the vineyards. Now there A\-ere on the tops of 
these mountains, shepherds feeding their flocks, and 
they stood by the highway side. The pilgrims there- 
fore went to them, and leaning upon their staves (as is 
common with weary pilgrims when they stand to talk 
with any by the wa^^,) they asked, *' Whose Delecta- 
ble Mountains are these ? and \^'hose be the sheep that 
feed upon them ?"* 

She p. The mountains are Emmanuel's Land, and 
they are within sight of his city ; ar.d the sheep also 
are his, and he laid down his life for them. 

CiiR. Is this the way to the Celestial City ? 

She p. You are just in the way. 

Chr. How far is it thither ? 

She?. Too far for any, but those that shall get thi- 
ther indeed. t 

Chr. Is the way safe or dangerous? 

She p. Safe for those for whom it is to be safe; 
** but transgressors shall fall therein. "(cr) 



* See the iips and downs, the sunshine and clouds, the prosperity and ad- 
versiiv, which Christians go through in their way to the promised Land. 
Lately, these two pilgrims were bewailing* their state in Doubting Castle, 
under Giant Despnir, how they are come to Delectable Mountains, where 
ail is clear, perfect and joyful hope. So that God's word is now comforta- 
bly fulfilled upon them ; see Isa. xlix 9, 10, 11. "I will make all my moun- 
tains a way, and my highways shall be exalted," Sec. 

f O how many professors grow weary of the way, fall short and fail of 
coming to the end ! though the way appears too far, too strait, and too nar- 
row for many who set out; and never hold out to the end ; yet, all who are 
begotten by the word of grace; and born of the Spirit of truth, being kept 
by tlic mighty power of God, through an exercise of living faith, unto etc?' 
nul salvation, shall succeed. 1 Pet. i. 5. 

<fz) Hos. jiv. 



THEIR NAMES, AND DISCOURSE. 195 

€hr. Is there ill this place any relief for pilgrims, 
that are weary and faint in the \vi\y ? 

She p. The lord of these mountains hath given us a 
charge " not to be forgetful to entertain strangers ;"(rt) 
therefore the good of the place is before you. 

I also saw in my dream, that when the shepherds per- 
ceived that they were wayfaring men, they also put 
questions to them (to which they made answer, as in 
other places,) as, Whence came you ? and, How got 
you into the way ? and. By what means have you so 
persevered therein ? for, but few of them that begin to 
come hither, do show their faces on this mountain. 
But when the shepherds heard their answers, being- 
pleased therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, 
and said, Welcome to the Delectable Mountains, 

The shepherds, I say, whose names were Knowledge, 
Experience, Watchful, and Sincere, took them by the 
hand, and had them to their tents, and made them par- 
take of that w^hich was ready at present,^ They said, 
moreover, We would that you should stay here awhile 
to be acquainted Vvith us, and yet more to solace your- 
selves with the good of these Delectable Mountains. 
They then told them, that they were content to stay : 
so they went to their rest that night, because it was 
very late. 

Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the 
shepherds called up Christian and Hopeful, to walk 
with them upon the mountains : so they went forth 
with them, and walked awhile, having a pleasant pros- 
pect on every side. Then said the shepherds one to 
another, Shall we show these pilgrims some wonders ? 
So, when they had concluded to do it, they had them 
first to the top of an hill, called Error, which was very 
•steep on the furthest side, and bid them look down 



* Precious names ! wliat is a pilgrim without knowledge ? what is head- 
knowledg-e without heart-experience ? And watchfahie'ss and sincerity 
ou ght attend us every step When these g-races are in us and aboundj 
-they make delectable mountains indeed. 

(«) Heb. xiii. 1. 2i 



196 MOUNTS ERROR AND CAUTION; WHERE 

to the bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked 
down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to 
pieces, by a fall that they had from the top. Then said 
Christian, What meaneth this ? The shepherds answer- 
ed, Have you not heard of them that were made to 
err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus,(c) as 
concerning the fliith of the resurrection of the body ? 
They answered. Yea. Then said the shepherds, Those 
that you see lie dashed in pieces at the bottom of this 
mountain are they ; and they have continued to this 
day unburied, as you see, for example to others to 
take heed how they clamber too liigh, or how they 
come too near the brink of this mountain.* 

Then I Sdw they had them to the top of another moun- 
tain, and the name of that is Caution, and bid them 
look afar offtf which when they did, they perceived, 
as they diought, several men walking up and down 
among the tombs that were there : and the}' perceived 
that the men were blind, because they stumbled some- 
times upon the tombs, and because they could not get 
out from aniong them. Then said Christian, What 
means this ? 

The shepherds then answered. Did you not see a lit- 
tle below these mountains, a stile that leads into a mea- 
dow, on the left hand of this wav ? Thev answered, 
Yes. Then said the shepherds, From that stile there 
goes a path, that leads directly to Doubting Castle, 
which is kept by Giant Despair, and these men (point- 
ing to them among the tombs) came once on piigrim* 
age^ as you do now, even till they came to that same 
stile. And, because tine right way was rough in that 



*,Fine-f;piin speculations, and curious reasoning's, lead men from simp]<$ 
truth and implicit faith into many dangerous and destructive errors. The 
word records many instances of such lor our caution. Be warned to study 
tiimplicity and godly sincerity. 

f It is well for us to be much on this mount. We have constant need of 
caution. Paul takes the Corinthianr* up to this Mount Caution, and shows 
them wliat awful things have happened to professors of old ; and he leaves 
this solemn word for us — *' Wherefore let him ivho tiiinkcth he t-tandeth^ 
take heed|lest he fall." 1 Cor. x. 12. 



WERE MEN ELINDKD BY GIANT DESPAIR. 197 

place they chose to go out of it into that meadow, and 
there were taken by Giant Despair, and cast into Doubt- 
ing Castle ; where, after they had a while been kept in 
the dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led 
them among those tombs, where he had left them to 
wander to this very day, that the saying of the wise 
man might be fulfilled, ' " He that wandereth out of the 
way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation 
of the dead, "(a) Then Christian and Hopeful looked 
upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said 
nothing to the shepherds.* 

Then I sa\v in my dream, that the shepherds had 
them to another place in a bottom, where was a door 
in the side of an hill, and they opened the door, and 
bid them look in. They looked in therefore, and saw 
that within it was very dark and smoky ; they also 
thought that they heard there a rumbling noise, as of 
fire, and a cry of some tormented ; and that they smelt 
the scent of brimstone. Then said Christian, What 
means this ? The shepherds told them, This is a by- 
way to hell, a way that hypocrites go in at ; namely, 
such as sell their birthright, with Esau ; such as sell 
their Master, with J udas ; such as blaspheme the gos- 
pel, with Alexander ; and that lie and dissemble, v/ith 
Ananias, and Sapphira his wife. 

Then said Hopeful to the shepherds, I perceive that 
these had on them, even every one, a show of pilgrim- 
age, as we have now ; had they not ? 

She p. Yea, and held it a long time too. 

Hope. How far might they go on in pilgrimage in 
their days, since they notwithstanding were thus miser- 
ably cast away ? 



* Do we see others Fall into perdition by the very same sins and follies 
from which God has reclaimed us : What must we resolve this into, but 
liis superabounding- mercy to us ! And surely it is enough to make one's 
eyes gush out with tears, and to melt our hard hearts into fervent love, to 
look back upon tlie many singular instances of God's distinguishing favout 
to us. O call them to mind and be thankful. 

(«) Prov. xxi. 16. 



198 THE shepherds' DIRECTIOr^S TO THE PILGRIMS. 

She P. Some further, and some not so far as these 
fnountams.^ 

Then said the pilgrims one to another, We had need 
to cry to the strong for strength. 

Shep, Ah, and you will have need to use it whea 
3'ou have it, too. 

By this time the pilgrims had a desire to go forwards, 
and the shepherds a desire they should ; so they walk- 
ed to2:ether towards the end of the mountains. Then 
said the shepherds one to another. Let us here show 
the pilgrims the gates of the Celestial City, if they 
have skill to look through our prospective glass. Thcv 
pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion : so they 
had them to the top of an high hill, called Clear, and 
gave them the glass to look. 

Then they essayed to look, but the remembrance of 
that last thing, that the shepherds had showed them 
made their hands shake ; by means of which impedi- 
ment, they could not look steadily through the glass ;f 
yet they thought they saw something like the gate, and 
also some of the glory of the place. Then they went 
away, and sang this song: 

*' Thus by the shepherds secrets are reveal'd. 
Which from all other men are kept conceal'd : 
Come to the shepherds then, if you woud see 
Things deep, things hid, and that mysterious be.'* 

When they were about to depart, one of the shep- 
herds gave them a note of the way. Another of them 
bid them beware of the flatterer. The third bid them 
take heed that they sleep not upon the enchanted ground. 
And the fourth bid them good speed. So I awoke from 
my dream. ^ 



* Thus we read of some being- once enlightened, and liaving- tasted of tlie 
heavenly g-ift, and were made purlakers of the world to come. Ueb. vi. It 
js hard to say how far, or liow long a person may follow Cln-ist, and because 
of unfaitlifuhiess, yet fidl away, and come short of the kingdom at last. 
This should c xcite to dilig-cnce, liuniility, and circumspection, ever looking 
to Jesus to keep us from iiilling" 

t The_ glass of God's word of grace and truth, held up by the hand of 
faith to the eye of tlie soul. So Paul speaks ; beholding as in a glass (the 
gospel) the glory of the Lord, ccc. 2 Cor. iii 18. But unbelieving douMs 
and fears will make the hand tremble, and tUe sight dim.- 



>^'' * 




CHRISTIAN, HOPEFUL, AND THE SHEPHERDS 
ON MOUNT CLEAR. 



.* 



tCfOUNTRY OF CONCEIT: IGNORANCE. 199 



CHAPTER XVIL 

¥hK pilgrims meet with IGNOFANCK THE ROBBERY 

OF LITTLE-FAITH RELATED CHRISTIAN AND HOPE- 
FUL CAUGHT IN THE NET. 

And I slept and dreamed again, and saw the same 
two pilgrims going down the mountains, along the 
high^vay towards the city. Now a little below these 
mountains on the left hand, lieth the country of Con- 
ceit,* from which country there comes into the way in 
which the pilgrims walked, a little crooked lane. Here 
therefore thev met with a very brisk lad, that came out 
of that country, and his name was Ignorance. So 
Christian asked him from what parts he came, and 
whither he was going ? 

Ignor. Sir, I was born in the country that lieth off 
there a little on the left hand, and am going to the Ce- 
lestial City. 

Chr. But how do you think to get in at the gate? 
for you may find some difficulties there. 

As other good people do, said he. 

Chr. But what have you to show at that gate, that 
may cause that gate to be opened to you ? 

Ignor. I know my Lord's will, and have been a 
good liver ; I pay every man his own ; I pray, fast» 
pay tithes, and give alms^ and have left my country for 
whither I am going. f 



* This country we were all born in ; and are all by nature darkness.' 
SK^me live long in the country of Conceit, and many end their days in it. 
Are you come out of it ? So was Ignorance ; but lie breathed his native 
air. So long' as any sinner thinks he can do any thing- towards making' 
IiiiTrself righteous before God, his name is ignorance, he is full of self-con- 
ceit, and destitute of the faith of Christ. 

f Is it not very common to hear professors thus express themselves? Yes, 
and many who make a very high profession too ; their hopes are plainly 
grounded upon what they are in themselves, and how they difler from their 
former selves and other sinners, instead of what Christ has made us, and 
what we are in Christ. IJut the prf>fession of such is begun with an igno- 
rant, whole, self-righteous hc:vt, it is continued m pride, scif-s.ceking, an^l 



200 CHARACTER OF IGNORAr^rCE. 

CiiR. But thou earnest not in at the Wicket-gate 
that is at the head of this way ; thou earnest in hither 
through that same erooked lane, and therefore I fear, 
however thou mayest think of thyself, when the reekon- 
ing-day shall come, thou wilt have laid to thy charge, 
that thou art a thief and a robber, instead of getting 
admittance into the city. 

Ignor. Gentlemen, ye be utter strangers to me, I 
know you not ; be content to follow the religion of your 
country, and I will follow the religion ©f mine. I hope 
all will be well. And, as for the gate you talk of, all 
the world knows, that that is a great way off of our 
country. I cannot think that any men in all our parts 
do so much as know the way to it, nor need they mat* 
ter whether they do or no ; since we have, as you see, 
a fine pleasant green lane, that comes down from our 
country the nearest way. 

When Christian saw that the man was wise in his 
own conceit, he said to Hopeful whisperingly, " There 
is more hope of a fool than of him ; "(c) and said 
moreover, " When he that is a fool walketh by the 
way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one 
that he is a fool."(<^) What, shall we talk further with 
him, or outgo him at present, and so leave him to think 
of what he hath heard already, and then stop again for 
him afterwards, and see if by degrees we can do any 
good by him ? Then said Hopeful, 

" Let Ignorance a little while now muse 
On what is said, and let him not refuse 
Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain 
Still ignorant of what's the chiefest gain. 
God saith, those that no understanding have, 
Although he made them, them he will not save.'* 



Self-exalting", and ends in awful disappointment. For such are called by GUI' 
liord thieves and robbers ; they rob him of the glory of his grace, and th© 
efficacy of his precious blood. 

C«f) Prov. xxvl 12» (A) Eccles. s. 2. 



m 



TURN- AWAY CARRIED OFF BY DEVILS. 20 X 

He further added, It is not good, I think, to say to 
him all at once ; let us pass him by, if you will, and 
talk to him anon, even as he is " able to bear it." 

So they both went on, and Ignorance he came after. 
Now when they had passed him a little way, they en- 
tered into a very dark lane, where they met a man whom 
seven devils had bound with seven strong cords, and 
were carrying him back to the door that they saw" oil 
the side of the hill.(G;) Now good Christian began to 
tremble, and so did Hopeful his companion: yet as the 
devils led away the man. Christian looked to see if he 
knew him; and he thought it might be one Turn-away, 
that dwelt in the town of Apostacy. But he did not 
perfectly see his face ; for he did hang his head like a 
thief that is found. But being gone past, Hopeful 
looked after him, and espied on his back a paper with 
this inscription, " Wanton professor^ and damnable 
apostate."^ Then said Christian to his fellow. Now I 
call to remembrance tlmt which was told me, of a thing 
that happened to a good man hereabout. The name 
of the man was Little-faith, but a good man, and he 
dwelt in the town of Sincere. The thing was this : — ■ 
at the entering in at this passage, there comes down 
from Broad- way-gate, a lane, called Dead- man's lane ; 
so called, because of the murders that are commonly 
done there ; and this Little- faith going on pilgrimage, 
as we do now, chanced to sit down there and slept : 
now there happened at that time to come down the lane 
from Broad-way-gate, three sturdy rogues, and their 



* O beware of a lig-ht, trifling" spirit, and a wanton behaviour. It is of- 
ten the forerunner of apostacy from God. It makes one trenible to heai* 
those who profess to follow Christ in the regeneration, crying-, Wliat harm 
Is there in this game, and the other diversion ? They plainly discover whaV 
fepirit they are got into. Tlie warmth of love is gone, and they are becorP'Jf 
Cold, dead, and carnal. O how many instances of these abound I 

(j'a) Matt. xii. 45. Prov. V. 22: 

9S 



202 CHRISTIAN TELLS OF LITTLE- FAITH's ROBBERY. 

names were Faint-heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, three bro- 
thers ; and they espying Little-faith where he was, 
came galloping up with speed. Now the good man 
was just awaked from his sleep, and was getting up to 
go on his journey. So they all came up to him, and 
with threatening language bid him stand. At this Lit- 
tle-faith looked as white as a clout, and had neither 
power to fight nor flee. Then said Faint-heart, *' De- 
liver thy purse;" but he making no haste to do it, 
(for he was loth to lose his money,) Mistrust ran up 
to him, and thrusting his hand into his pocket, pulled 
out thence a bag of silver. Then he cried out, 
*' Thieves ! thieves !" With that Guilt, with a great 
club that was in his hand, struck Little-faith on the 
head, and with that blow felled him flat to the ground ; 
where he lay bleeding, as one that w^ould bleed to 
death* Ail this while the thieves stood by. But at 
last, they hearing that some were upon the road, and 
fearing lest it should be one Great- grace, that dwells in 
the city of Good-confidence, they betook themselves 
to their heels, and left this good man to shift for him- 
self ; who, getting up, made shift to scramble on his 
way. — This was the story.* 

Hope. But did they take from him all that ever he 
had? 

Chr. No: the place where his jewels were, they 
never ransacked; so those he kept still. But, as I 
was told, the good man was much afilictedfor his loss$ 
for the thieves got most of his spending money. That 
which they got not, as I said, were jewels ; also he 
had a little odd money left, but scarce enough to bring 



* Where there is a faint heart in liod's cause, and mistrust of God*g 
truths, here w iil be guilt in the conscience, and a dead faith in the heart ; 
and these rogues will prevail over, and rob such sf)uls of the comforts of 
God's love and of Christ's s dvation. O iiow nriany are overtaken b\ these 
in sleepy fits and cureless frames, and plundered ! Learn to be wise from 
the things others have suffered. 



HE ^AVES HIS CERTIFICATE. 203 

him to his journey's end ;(«) nay, if I was not misin- 
formed, he was forced to beg as he went, to keep him- 
self ahve (for his jewels* he might not sell.) But beg 
and do what he could, " he went" as we say, " with 
many a hungry belly," the most part of the rest of 
the way. 

Hope. But is it not a wonder they go not from him 
his certificate, by which he was to receive his admit- 
tance at the Celestial gate ? 

Chr. It is a wonder : but they got not that ; though 
they missed it not through any good cunning of his ; 
for he, being dismayed with their coming upon him, 
had neither power nor skill to hide any thing, so it was 
more by good providence than by his endeavour, that 
they missed of that good thing. t(<^) 

Hope. But it must needs be a comfort to him, that 
they got not his jewels from him* 

Chr. It might have been great comfort to him, had 
he used it as he should : but they who told me the sto- 
ry, said, that he made but little use of it at all the rest of 
the way ; and that, because of the dismay that he had 
in the taking away his money. Indeed he forgot it a 
great part of the rest of his journey ; and besides, 
when at any time it came into his mind, and he be- 
gan to be comforted therewith ; then would fresh 
thoughts of his loss come again upon him, and those 
thoughts would sw^allow up alh 



* By his jewels, we may understand those imparted graces of tlie Spirit, 
Faith, Hope and Love. By his spending money, understand ihe sealing- and 
earnest of the Spirit in his heart. 2 Cor. i. 22- Of this divine assurance 
and tlie sense of the peace and joy of the Holy Gnost, he was robbed, so, 
that though he still went on in the ways of the Lord, }'et he dragged on 
but heavily and uncomfortably : and .was not happy in himself. O how 
much evil and distress are brought upon us by neglecting to watch and 
pray ! 

f What was this good thing ? His faith ; whose author, finisher, and ob^ 
ject is Jesus. And where he gives this gift of faith, though ii be but lit- 
tle, even as a grain of mustard-seed, if exercised by the possessor, not all 
the powers of eartli and hell can rob the heart of it. 

(«) 1 Pet. iv. 18. (6) 2 Tim. i. 14. 2 Pet. ii.'9. 



'204 LITTLE-FAITH'S AFFLICTION. 

Hope. Alas, poor man! this could not but be a 
great grief unto him ! 

Chr. Grief ! ay, a grief indeed. Would it not have 
been so to any of us, had we been used as he, to be 
robbed and wounded too, and that in a strange place, 
as he was ? It is a w^onder he did not die with grief, 
poor heart : I was told he scattered almost all the rest 
of the way, with nothing but doleful and bitter com- 
plaints : telling also to all who overtook him, or that he 
overtook in the way as he went, where he was robbed, 
and how ; who they were that did it, and what he lost ; 
how he was wounded, and that he hardlv escaped with 
his life.^ 

Hope. But it is a w^onder that his necessity did not 
put him upon selling or paw^ning some of his jewels, 
that he might have wherewith to relieve himself in his 
journey. 

Chr. Thou talkest like one, upon w^hose head is 
the shell to this very day : for what should he pawn 
them ? or to whom should he sell them ? In all that 
country where he was robbed, his jewels were not ac- 
counted of; nor did he want that relief which could 
from thence be administered to him. Besides, had his 
jewels been missing at the gate of the Celestial city 
he had (and that he knew well enough) been excluded 
from an inheritance there, and that would have been 
worse to him than the appearance and villainy of ten 
thousand thieves. 

Hope. Why art thou so tart, my brother? Esau 
sold his birthright, and that for a mess of pottage ;{a) 
and that birthright was his greatest jewel : and, if he, 
why might not Little -faith do so too ? 



* Here is a discovery of true, thoui^h it be but little fuith. It mourns its 
loss of God's presence, and the comforts of his Spirit, and laments its folly 
for sleeping-, when it should have been watching" and praying- He that 
pines under the sense of tlie loss of Christ's love, has faitli in his heart, and 
j)t measure of love to Christ in his soul ; though lie ^^oes on his way weep- 
"HJj yet he shall find joy in the end. Soul, be on thy watchtower, lest tho^J 
f>leep the sleep of eternal deatli. 

(a) Heb. xii. l^f 



DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIM AND ESAU. 205 

Chr. Esau did sell his birthright indeed, and so do 

many besides, and by so doing, exclude themselves 

from the chief blessins: : as also that caitiff did : but 

. ... 

you must put a difference betwixt Esau and Little-faith, 

and also betwixt their estates. Esau's birthright was 
typical, but Little-faith's jewels, were not so. Esau's 
belly was his god, but Little-faith's belly w^as not so. 
Esau's want lay in his fleshly appetite. Little-faith's did 
not so. Besides, Esau could see no further than to 
the fulfilling of his lust : *' For I am at the point to 
die," said he, " and what good will this birthright do 
me ?"(«) But Little-faith, though it was his lot to have 
but a little fiiith, was by his little faith kept from such 
extravagancies, and made to see and prize his jewels 
more, than to sell them as Esau did his birthright. 
You read not any wliere that Esau had faith, no, not so 
much as a little ; therefore no marvel, if where the 
flesh only bears sway (as it will in that man where no 
faith is, to resist,) if he sells his birthright and his soul 
and all, and that to the devil of hell : for it is with 
such as it is with the ass, '*who in her occasions can- 
not be turned away: "(c) when their minds are set upon 
their lusts, they will have them, whatever they cost. 
But Little -faith was of another temper, his mind was 
on things divine ; his livelihood was upon things that 
were spiritual and from above ; tlierefore, to what end 
should he that is of such a temper sell his jewels (had 
there been any that w^ould have bought them,) to fill 
his mind with empty things ! Will a man give a penny 
to fill his belly with hay ? or can you persuade the tur- 
tle-dove to live upon carrion like the crow ? Though 
faithless ones can, for carnal lusts, pawn, or mortgage, 
or sell what they have, and themselves outright to boot, 
yet the}^ that have faith, saving faith, though but little 



(rt> Gen. XXV. 29—34. (A') Jer. ii. 24. 



206 HOPEFUL BLAMES LITTLE-FAITH. 

of it, cannot do so. Here, therefore, my brother, is 
thy mistake. 

Hope. I acknowledge it ; but yet your severe re- 
flection had almost made me angry. 

Chr. Why ! I did but compare thee to some of the 
birds that are of the brisker sort, who will run to and 
fro in untrodden paths, with the shell upon their heads : 
but pass by that, and consider the matter under debate, 
and all shall be well betwixt thee and me. 

Hope. But Christian, these tliree fellows, I am per- 
suaded in my heart, are but a company of cowards ; 
would they have run else, think you, as they did, at 
the noise of one that was coming on the road ? Why 
did not Little-faith pluck up a greater heart ? he might, 
methinks, have stood one brush with them, and have 
yielded, when there had been no remedy. 

Chr. That they are cowards, many have said, but 
few have found it so in the time of trial. As for a 
great heart. Little-faith had none ; and I perceived by 
thee, my brother, hadst thou been the man concerned^ 
thou art but for a brush, and then to yield. And ve- 
rily, since this is the height of thy stomach, now they 
are at a distance from us, shoulcl they appear to thee, 
as they did to him, they might put thee to second 
thoughts.* 

But consider again, they are but journeymen thieves, 
they serve under the king of the bottomless pit ; who, 
if need be, will come to their aid himself, ai:id his 
voice is as the roaring of a lion. (a) I myself have 
been engaged as this Little-faith was ; and I found it a 



* Ah ! how easy is it to talk when enemies are out of sight ! We too of- 
ten wax vaUant in our own esteem, when we have constant need to humble 
ourselves under the mig-hty hand of God, knowing what mere nothings we 
are of ourselves. It makes a Christian speak tartly, when one sees self-ex- 
al tings in another. Paul frequently speaks thus, from warm zeal for Christ's 
glory, and strong loye to the truth as it is in Jesus. 

(rt) 1 Pet. V. 8^. 



GREAT-GRACE, THE KING's CHAMPION. 20T 

terrible thing. These three villains set upon me, and 
I beginning like a Christian to resist, they gave out a 
call, and in came their master : I would, as the saying 
is, have given my life for a penny ; but that, as God 
\vould have it, I was clothed with armour of proof. 
Ay, and yet though I was so harnessed, I found it 
hard work to quit myself like a man : no man can tell 
what in that combat attends us, but he that hath been 
in the battle himself.* 

Hope. Well, but they ran you see, when they did 
but suppose that one Great- grace was in the way. 

Chr. True, they have often fled, both they and their 
master, when Great- grace hath appeared; and no mar- 
vel, for he is the King's champion : but, I trow, you 
will put some difference between Little-faith and the 
King's champion. All the King's subjects are not his 
champions ; nor can they, when tried, do such feats of 
war as he. Is it meet to think that a little child should 
handle Goliath as David did ? or that there should be 
the strength of an ox in a wren ? Some are strong, 
some are weak ; some have great faith, some have lit- 
tle ; this man was one of the weak, and therefore he 
went to the walLf 



* Who can stand in the evil day of temptation, when beset with Faint- 
heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, backed by the power of their master Satan ? No 
one, unless armed with the whole armour of God : even then the pov/er of 
such infernal foes makes it a hard fight to the Christian. But this is our 
glory, the Lord shall fight for us, and we shall hold our peace ; we shall be 
silent as to ascribing any glory to ourselves, knowing our very enemies are 
part of ourselves, and that we are more than conquerors over all these (only) 
through HIM who loved us. Rom. viii. 27- 

f Pray mind this, ye lambs of the flock, whose knowledge is small, and 
whose faith is weak : O never think the God ye believe in, the Saviour ye 
follow, is an austere master, who expects more from you than ye are able. 
When he calls for your service, look to him for strength ; expect all power 
and strength for every good work out of the fulness of Christ ; the more 
you receive from him, the more you will grow up in him, and be devoted. 
to him. 



208 INFLUENCE OP FAINT-HEAKT ANB MISTRUST. 

'? Hope. I would it had been Great- grace, for his sake,' 
Chr. If it had been he, he might have had his 
hands full : for I must tell you, that though Great- 
grace is excellent good at his weapon, and has, and 
can, so long as he keeps them at sword's point, do well 
enough with them, yet if they get within him, even 
Faint-heart, Mistrust, or the other, it will go hard, but 
that they will throw up his heels : and when a man is 
down, you know, what can he do ? 

Whoso looks well upon Great- grace's face shall sec 
those scars and cuts thercj that shall easily give demon- 
stration of what I say. Yea, once I heard that he 
should say (and that when he was in the combat,) '' We 
despaired even of life."* How did these sturdy- 
rogues and their fellows make David groan, mourn, and 
roar? Yea, Heman and Hezekiah too, though champi- 
ons in their days, were forced to bestir them, when by 
these assaulted; and yet, notwithstanding, they had 
their coats soundly brushed by them. Peter, upon a 
time, would go try what he could do ; but, though 
some do say of him, that he is the prince of the apos- 
tles, they handled him so, that tlney made him at last 
afraid of a sorry girl. 

Besides, their king is at their whistle ; he is never 
out of hearing ; and if at any time they be put to the 
worst, he, if possible, comes in to help them : and of 
him it is said, " the sword of him that layeth at him 
cannot hold ; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon ; 



* Now here you see what is meant by Great-grace, who is so often men- 
tioned in this book, and by whom so many vahant tilings were done. We 
read, " With great power the apostles witnessed of the resurrection of Je- 
sus." Why was it ? Because — " Great-grace was upon them all." Acts iv. 
o3. So you see all is of grace, from first to last, in salvation. If we do 
jjreat things for Christ, yet not unto us, but uuto the Great-grace of onf 
Lord, be al! the glory. 



job's horse described- 209 

he esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood s 
the arrow cannot make him flee, sUng-stones are turned 
with him into stubble ; diu-ts are counted as stubble ; 
he laugheth at the shaking of the speiir."(a) What 
can a man do in this case ? it is true, if a man could at 
every turn have Job's horse, and had skill and courage 
to ride him, he might do notable things; for *' his neck 
is clothed with thunder ; he will not be afraid as a 
grasshopper : the glory of his nostrils is terrible ; he 
paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength, he 
goeth on to meet the armed men : he mocketh at fear, 
and is not aiFrighted, neither turneth he back from the 
sword ; the quiver rattleth against him, the glittering 
spear and the shield : he swalloweth the ground with 
fierceness and rage, neither believeth he that it is the 
sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, 
Ha, ha ; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder 
of the captains and the shoutings. "{<^) 

But for such footmen as thee and I are, let us never 
desire to meet with an enemy, nor vaunt as if we could 
do better, when we hear of others that they have been 
foiled ; nor be tickled at the thought of our own man- 
hood, for such comnionly come by the worst when 
tried. Peter, of whom I made mention before, he 
would swagger, ay, he would ; he would as his vain 
mind prompted him to say, do better, and stand more 
for his master than all men : but who so foiled and run 
down by those villains as he ?* 

When therefore we hear that such robberies are 
done on the king's highway, two things become us to 



* From this sweet and edifying conversation, learn not to think more 
hic^hly of yourself than you oug-ht to think ; but to think soberly, accord- 
ing to tlie measure of faith which God hath dealt to you. Rom. xii. 3, 
Now it is of the very essence of faith, to lead us out of ail self-confidence 
and vain vaunting". For we know not how soon Faint-Hcart, Mistrust, and 
Guilt, may spring up in us, set upon us, and if not found in the exercise of 
faith, will rob us of our comforts, and spoil our joys. 

(fl) Job xli, 26—29. (b) Job xx^x. 19—25. 
27 



210 THE ONLY SECURITY AGAINST ROBBERS. 

do : first, to go out haniessed, and to be sure to take a 
shield with us ; for it was for want of that, that he that 
laid so histily at Leviathan, could not make him yield ; 
for, indeed, if that be wanted, he fears us not at all. 
Therefore he that had skill hath said, ** above all, take 
the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench 
all the fiery darts of the wicked. "(<^) 

It is good also that we desire of the King a convoy, 
that he will go with us himself. This made David re- 
joice when in the valley of the Sliixiow of Death : and 
Moses was rather for dying where he stood, than to go 
one step vtdthout his God.(^) O my brother, if he 
will but go along with us, what need we be afraid of 
ten thousand that shall set themselves against us? 
but without him " the proud helpers fall under the 
slain."-^(6^) 

I, for my part, have been in the fray before now ; 
and though, through the goodness of him that is best, 
I am, as you see, alive, yet I cannot boast of any man- 
hood. Glad shall I be if I meet with no more such 
brunts ; though I fear we are not got beyond all dan- 
ger. However, since the lion and the bear have not 
as yet devoured me, I hope God will deliver us from 
the next uncircumcised Philistines. Then sang 
Christian — 

" Poor Little-faith I hast been amon;^ the thieves ; 
Wast robb'd ; Remember this, whoso believes, 
And get more faith, then shall you victors be 
Over ten thousands, else scarce over three.'* 



^ But how contrary to this, Is the walk and conduct of some who profess 
to be pilgrims, awd yet can wilfully and deliberately go upon the devil's 
ground, and indulge themselves in carnal pleasures and sinful diversions ! 
Such evidently declare in plain Iang"uage,that they desire not the presence of 
God, but that he siiould depart from them : but a day will come, which 
will burn as an oven, when such professors, i f they repent not, shall become 
stubble, and be consumed by the fxre of God. 

(a) Eph. vi. IG. (/>>) Exod. xxxiil. 15. (c) Psal iii. 5— & 
X3^vii. 1 — 3. Isa. X. 4. 



m 



THE PILGRIMS SEDUCED BY THE FLATTERER, 211 

So they went on, and Ignorance followed. They 
went then till they came at a place where they saw a 
way put itself into their way,* and seemed withal to 
lie as straight as the way which they should go ; and 
here they knew not which of the two to take, for both 
seemed straight before them : therefore here they stood 
still to consider. And as they were thinking about the 
way, behold, a man of black flesh, but covered with a 
very light robe, came to them, and asked them, why 
they stood there ? They answered. They were a going 
to the Celestial City, but knew not which of these ways 
to take. " Follow me," says the man, " it is thither that 
I am going." So they followed him in the way that but 
now came into the road, which by degrees turned, 
and turned them so from the city that they desired to 
go to, that in a little time their faces were turned away 
from it : — yet they followed him. But by and by, be- 
fore they were aware, he led them both within the com- 
pass of a net, in which they were both so entangled, 
that they knew not what to do ; and with that the white 
robe fell off the black man's back : — They then saw 
where they were. Wherefore there they lay crying 
some time, for they could not get themselves out.f 

Then said Christian to his fellow. Now do I see my- 
self in an error. Did not the shepherds bid us beware 
of the flatterers ? As is the saying of the wise man, so 
have we found it this day, " A man that flattereth his 
neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet. "(a) 



* By this way and a way, ■ it is plain the author means the way of self- 
rii^hteousness, and the way of theimpartedrig-hteousnessof Christ. Whenever 
we turn aside to the forme:*, we ^^et out of the way to the city ; yea, we 
see by des^rees the pilgrims' faces were turned away from it, and they were 
entangled in the net of pride and folly. 

•j- Luther was wont to caution ag-auist the white devil, as much as the 
black one ; for Satan transforms himself into an ang'el of lig'ht, and his mi- 
nisters as ministers of rig-hteousness. 2 Cor. xi. 14, 15. And how do they 
ruin souls ? By flattery, deceiving' the ig-norant, and beguiling the unstable. 
These are black men clothed in white. 

(rt) Prov. xxix. 5. 



212 THEY ARE DELIVERED, 

Hope. They also gave us a note of directions about 
the way, for our more sure finding thereof; but herein 
we have also forgotten to read, and have not kept our- 
selves from the "paths of the destroyer." Here David 
was wiser than we ; for saith he, " concerning the works 
of men, by tlie word of thy lips, I have kept me from 
the paths of the destroyer. "(a) Thus they lay bewail- 
ing themselves in the net. At last they spied a shining 
one^' coming towards them, with a whip of smitll cord 
in his hand. When he was come to the place w^here 
they were, he asked them, whence they came, and what 
they did there ? They told him, that they were poor 
pilgrims going to Zion, but were led out of their way 
by a black man clothed in white, who bid us, said 
they, follovv him, for he was going thither too. Then 
said he with the whip, It is a flatterer, '' a false apostle, 
that hath transformed himself into an angel of light. "(i^) 
So he rent the net, and let the men out. Then said he 
to them. Follow me, that I may set you in the way 
again : — so he led them back to the way which they 
had left to follow the flatterer. Then he asked them, 
saying, Where did you lie the last night ? They said. 
With ihe shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains. 
He asked them then, if they had not a note of direction 
for the way ? They answered. Yes. But did you, said 
he, when you were at a stand, pluck out and read your 
note ? They answered, No. He asked them. Why ? 
They said, they forgot. He asked moreover. If the 
shepherds did not bid them beware of the flatterer? 
They answered. Yes ; but we did not imagine, said they 5, 
that this fine spoken man had been h^\c) 



* By t^is shining one, understand the Holy Ghost, the leader and guide 
of all who believe. Wlien they err and stray from Jesus the way, and are 
drawn fronr; him as the Truth, the Spirit comes with his rod of conviction 
jmdcliastisemrm, to whip them from their self-righteousness and folly, back 
to Christ, to trust wholly in him, to rely only on him, and to walk in fel- 

(a) Psal. xvii. 4. {b) 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14. Dan. xi. 32. (c) Rom. xvi. 17, 18- 



AND SORELY CHASTISED* 21 



r> 



Then I saw in my dream, that he commanded them 
to He down ;{a) which when they did, he chastised them 
sore, to teach them the good way wherein they should 
walk :{l)) and, as he chastised them, he said, "As ma- 
ny as I love, I rebuke and chasten ; be zealous, there- 
fore, and repent. "(c) " This done, he bid them go on 
their way, and take good heed to the other directions 
of the shepherds. So they thanked him for all his 
kindness, and went softly along the right way, singing-^ 

" Come hither, you that walk along the way, 
See how the pilgrims fare that go astray : 
They catched are in an entangling net, 
'Cause they good counsel lightly did forget ; 
'Tis true, they rescu'd were ; but yet, you see, 
They're scourg*d to boot: — let this your caution be." 



lowship with him. So he acted by the Galatlan Church, who was flattered 
into a notion of self-righteousness and self-justification. David also, when 
he found himself near lost, cries out, — " He restoreth my soul/iHe leadeth 
me in paths of righteousness for his name sake." Psul. xxiii. 3. 

The following lines are very expressive of the state of mind of any who, 
by giving place to unbelief, may have turned aside from the narrow way. 

often thus, through sin*s deceit. 
Grief and shame and loss I meet ; 
Liike a fish, my soul mistook. 
Saw the bait, but not the hook : 
Made, by past experience, wise; 
Let me learn thy word to prize ; 
Taught by what I've felt before, 
Satan's flattery to abhor. 

Burden, 

iq) Dent. xxix. 2. (^) 2 Chron. vi. 26, 27. (c) Rev. iii. 19. 



*% 



214 A IVLiN WITH HIS BACK TO ZION : 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE PILGRIMS MEET WITH ATHEIST, AND PASS OVER 
THE ENCHANTED GROUND. 

IVOW after a while, they perceived afar olF, one com- 
ing' softly, and alone, all along the highway, to meet them. 
Then said Christian to his fellow, Yonder is a man with 
Iiis back towards Zion, and he is coming- to meet us. 

Hope. I see him; let us take heed to ourselves 
now, lest he should prove a flatterer also. So he drew 
nearer and nearer, and at last came up to them. His 
name was Atheist ; and he asked them whither they 
were going ? 

Chr. We are going to mount Zion. 

Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter. 

Chr. What is the meaning of your laughter? 

Ath. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you arc, 
to take upon you so ridiculous a journey ; and yet are 
like to have nothing but your travel for your pains. 

Chr. Why, man, do you think we shall not be re- 
ceived ? 

Ath. Received! there is no such place as you 
dream of in all this w^orld. 

Chr. But there is in the world to come. 

Ath. When I was at home, in mine own country, I 
heard as you now affinn, and from that hearing went 
out to see, and have been seeking this city twenty 
years, but find no more of it than I did the first day I 
set out. (a) 

Chr. We have both heard and believe that there is 
such a place to be found. 

Ath. Had not I, when at home, believed, I had not 
come thus far to seek ; but finding none (and yet I 
should, had there been such a place to be found, for 



(a) Eccl. X. 15. Jer. xvil 15. 



HIS TAIN REASONINGS DISREGARDED. 215 

I have gone to seek it further than you,) I am going 
back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the 
things that I then cast away for hopes of that which I 
now see is not. 

Then said Christian to Hopeful his companion, is it 
true which this man hath said ? 

Hope. Take heed, he is one of the flatterers : re- 
member what it hath cost us once already, for our 
hearkening to such kind of fellows. What ! no mount 
Zion ? Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains 
the gate of the city ? Also, are we not now to walk by 
faith ?{a) Let us go on, said Hopeful, lest the man 
with the whip overtake us again.* You should have 
taught me that lesson, which I will sound in the ears 
withal : '' Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that 
causeth to err from the words of knowledge ;"(Z>) I 
say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us believe 
to the saving of the soul. 

Chr. My brother, I did not put the question to 
thee, for that I doubted of the truth of your belief my- 
self, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit 
of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know 
that he is blinded by the god of this world. Let thee 
and I go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth ; 
and "no lie is of the truth."(f) 

Hope. Now I do rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 
So they turned away from the man, and he, laughing 
at them, went his way. 

I saw then in my dream, that they went till they 
came into a certain country, whose air naturally tended 
to make one drowsy, if he came a stranger into it. 
And here Hopeful began to be very dull and heavy of 



* See how we are surrounded with different enemies. No sooner have 
they escaped the self-rig-liteous flatterer, but they meet with the openlj 
profane and Ucentious mocker. Ay, and he set out, and went far loo, yea, 
farther than they ; but bt^hold, he has turned his back upon all, and 
thoug'h he had been twenty years a seeker, yet now he proves, he has nei- 
ther faith nor hope, but ridicules all as delusion. Awful to think of ! O 
what a special mercy to be kept believing and ptrsevering", not regai-din^ 
the ridicule of apostates ! 

(«) 2 Cor. V. 7. (^b) Prov xix. 27- Ileb. x. 39- (c) 1 John ii 2L 



216 HOPEFUL BECOMES DROWSYo 

sleep : wherefore he said unto Christian, I now begin 
to grow so drowsy, that I can scarcely hold up mine 
eyes ; let us lie down here and take one nap. 

By no means, said the other ; lest, sleeping, we ne- 
ver wake more. 

Hope. Why, my brother ? sleep is sweet to the 
labouring man : we may be refreshed if we take a nap. 

Chr. Do you not remember that one of the shep- 
herds bid us beware of the Enchanted Ground ? He 
meant by that, that we should beware of sleeping ; 
*' wherefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us 
watch and be sober."* (a;) 

Hope. I acknowledge myself in a fault; and, had 
I been here alone, I had by sleeping run the danger of 
death. I see it is true that the wise man saith, " Two 
are better than one."(^) Hitherto hath thy company 
been my mercy ; and thou shalt '' have a good reward 
for thy labour." 

Now then, said Christian, to prevent drowsiness in 
this place, let us fall into good discourse. 

With all my heart, said the other. 

Chr. Where shall we begin ? 

Hope. Where God began with us: — but do jon 
begin, if you please. 

Chr. I will sing you first this song — 

When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither, 

And hear how these two pilgrims talk together : 

Yea, let them learn of them in any wise 

Thus to keep ope their drowsy slumbering eyes. 

Saint's fellowship, if it bemanag*d well, 

Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell."t 



* O Christiap, beware of sleeping" on this enchanted ground ! When all 
thing's go easy, smooth, and well, we are prone to grow drowsy in soul. How 
many are the calls in the word, ag-ainst spiritual slumber ! and yet how 
many professors, throug-Ii the enchanting air of this world, are fallen into 
the deep sleep of formality ! Be warned by them to ciy to thy Lord to 
keep thee awake to rig^hteousness, and be vig-orous in the ways of thy Lord, 

f observation fully evinces this truth, and when the soul slumbers, the 
tong-ue is mute to spiritual converse, and the truths of Jesus freeze on tlie 

(fl) Thess. V. 6. {b) Eccl. iv. 9. 



^:opeful'6 past life, and first convictions. 5217 

Then Christian began, and said, I will ask you a 
question : How came you to think at first of doing what 
you do now ? 

Hope. Do you mean, how came I at first to look af- 
ter the good of my soul ? 

Chr. Yes, that is my meaning. 

Hope. I continued a great while in the delight of 
those things which were seen and sold at our fair ; things 
which I believe now would have, had I continued in 
them still, drowned me in perdition and destruction. 

Chr. Wliat things are they? 

Hope. All the treasures iuid riches of the world. 
Also I delighted much in rioting, revelling, drinking, 
swearing, lying, uncleanness, sabbath- breaking, and 
what not, that tended to destroy the soul. But I found, 
at last, by hearing and considering of things that are 
divine, which indeed I heard of you, as also of beloved 
Faithful, who was put to death for his faith and good 
living in Vanity-fair, that "the end of these things is 
death;" and that " for these things' sake the wrath of 
God cometh upon the children of disobedience. "(a) 

Chr. And did you presently fall under the power of 
this conviction? 

Hope. No ; I was not willing presently to know the 
evil of sin, nor the damnation that follows upon the 
commission of it ; but endeavoured, when my mind at 
first began to be shaken with the word, to shut mine 
eyes against the light thereof. 

Chr. But what was the cause of your carrying of it 
thus to the first workings of God's blessed Spirit upoit 
you? 



lips, while the man is all ear to hear, and all tongue to talk of vain, worlds 
ly, and trifling* tilings. Beware of sucli sleepy professors. Yon sr in dun- 
i^er of catching" the infection : you are sure to get no sp lUial ed.ficatioi^ 
from them ; but be sure to be faitliful in reproving them, and prize the com- 
pany of lively Christians. 



(a) Rom. vi. 21—23. Eph. v. 6. 

28 



218 AMENDMENT FAILS TO QUIET HIS CONSCIENCE. 

Hope. The causes were^ — 1. I was ignorant that 
this was the work of God upon me, I never thought 
that by awakenings for sin God at first begins the 
conversion of a sinner. 2. Sin was yet very sweet to 
my flesh, and I was loth to leave it. 3. I could not 
tell how to part with my old companions, their presence 
and actions were so desirable unto me. 4. The hours 
in which convictions were upon me, were such trouble- 
some and such heart-affrighting hours, that I could not 
bear, no, not so much as the remembrance of them up- 
on my heart.* 

Chr. Then, it seems, sometimes you got relief of 
your trouble ? ^ 

Hope. Yes, verily, but it would come into my 
mind again, and then I would be as bad, nay, worse 
than I was before. 

Chr. Why, what was it that brought your sins to. 
mind again ? 

Hope. Many things ? as, if I did but meet a good 
man in the street ; or if I have heard any read in the 
Bible : or if mine head did begin to ache ; or if I were; 
told that some of my neighbours were sick ; or if I 
heard the bell toll for some that were dead ; or if I 
thought of dying myself; or if I heard that sudden 
death happened to others: — ^but especially when I 
thought of myself, that I must quickly come to judg- 
ment. 

Chr. And could you at any time, with ease, get off 
the guilt of shi, when by any of these ways it came up- 
on you ? 



* Here you see, as our Lord says, " It is tlie Spirit who quickeneth, the 
flesh profitetU nothing^.'* John vi. 63. The ftesh, or our carnal nature, so 
far from profiting in the work of conversion to Christ, that it is in enmity 
against him, and counteracts and opposes the Spirit's work in shewing- us 
our want of him, and bringing us to him. Man's nature and God's grace are 
two direct opposites. Nature opposes, but grace subdues nature, and 
brings it to submission and subjection. Are we truly convinced of sin, and 
coi^vcrted to Christ ? This is a certain and sure evidence of it, — we sliall say 
from our hearts. Not unto us, not unto any yieldings and comphances of 
our nature, free-will, and power oi>Jy, but ttnto thy name, O Lord, be all 
the glprj". ^ 



HIS WAY OF ACCOUNTING FOR THIS, 219 

Hope. No, not I ; for then they got faster hold of 
my conscience : and then, if I did but think of going 
back to sin, (though my mind was turned against it,) 
it would be double torment to me* 

Chr. And how did you do then? 

Hope. I thought I must endeavour to mend my 
life ; for else, thought I, I am sure to be damned. 

Chr. And did you endeavour to amend ? 

Hope. Yes; and fled from, not only my sins, but 
sinful company too, and betook me to religious du- 
ties, as praying, reading, weeping for sin, speaking 
truth to my neighbours, &Co These things did I, with 
many others, too much here to relate* 

Chr. And did you think yourself well then? 

Hope. Yes ; for a while ; but at the last my trou- 
ble came tumbling upon nle again, and that over the 
neck of all my reformation. 

Chr. How came that about, since you were now 
reformed ? 

Hope. There were several things brought it upon 
tne ; especially such sayings as these ; " All our righ- 
teousness are as filthy rags t" "By the works of the 
law no man shall be justified :" ** When ye have done 
all these things, say, We are unprofitable :" (a) with 
many more such like. From whence I began to rea- 
son with myself thus :-*-if all my righteousness are fil- 
thy rags ; if by the deeds of the law no man can be 
justified ; and if, when we have done all, we are unpro- 
fitable — then it is but a folly to think of heaven by the 
law. I further thought thus — »if a man rUns a hundred 
pounds into the shop-keeper's debt, and after that shall 
pay for all that he shall fetch— *>yet^ if this old debt 
stands still in the book uncrossed, for that the shop- 
keeper may sue him, and cast him into prison till he- 
shall pay the debt* 

Chr. Well, and how did you apply this to yourself? 



ia) IsaiRh Ixiv. 6> tuke xvii- 10. Cal. ii. 1(5, 



220 HOW HE LEARNED THE WAY OF JUSTlFlCATlOA^ 

Hope. Why, I thought thus with myself, I have by 
my sins run a great way into God's book, and that my 
now reforming will not pay off that score ; therefore 
I should think still, under all my present amendments^ 
" But how shall I be freed from that damnation that 
I brought myself in danger of by my former transgres- 
sions?" 

Chr. a very good application : but pray go on. 

Hope. Another thing that hath troubled me, even 
since my late amendments, is, that if I look narrowly 
into the best of what 1 do now, I still see sin, new sin, 
mixing: itself with the best of that I do : so that now I 
am forced to conclude that, notwithstanding my for- 
mer fond conceits of myself and duties, I have com- 
mitted sin enough in one duty to send me to hell^ 
though my former life had been faultless.* 

Chr. And what did you do then ? 

Hope. Do ! I could not tell what to do, till I broke 
my mind to Faithful ; for he and I were well acquaint- 
ed : and he told me, that unless I could obtain the 
righteousness of a man that never had sinned, neither 
my own, nor all the righteousness of the world, could 
save me.f 

Chr. And did you think he spake true? 

Hope. Had he told me so, when I was pleased and 
satisfied with mine own amendment, I had called him 
fool for his pains ; but now, since I see mine own in- 



* Thus you see in conversion, the Lord does noi: act upon us by force and 
compulsion, as thoug'h we were inanimate stocks or stones, or irrational 
animals, or mere machines. No. We have understanding-. He enlightens it. 
Then we come to a sound nfmd; we tliink rig"ht, and reason justly. We 
have wills ; vvhat the understanding judges beSt, the will approves, and then 
the aflPections follow after ; and thus we chuse Christ for our Saviour, and 
glory only in his mercy and salvation. When the heavenly light of truth 
makes manifest what we are, and the danger we are in, then we should flee 
from the wrath to come, to Christ the refuge set before us. 

■j- Here is the touchstone, to try whether conviction and conversion arrf 
ffom the Spirit of truth or not. Many talk of conviction and conversion, 
who are yet vmcjianged in heart, and strong in confidence of a righteousness 
of their own, or of being made righteous in themselves, instead of looking 
solely to, and trusting wholly in, the infinite mercy and blood of Christ Jesus, 
and desiring to be found in him. All conviction and conversion, short of 
this, leaves the soul short of Christ's righteousness, of hope, and of heavei!- 



AND TO PLEAD THE TROMISES IN PRAYER. 221 

firmity, and the sin which cleaves to my best perform- 
ance, I have been forced to be of his opinion. 

Chr. But did you think, when at first he suggested 
it to you, that there was such a man to be found, of 
whom it might justly be said, that he never committed 
sin ? 

Hope. I must confess the words at first sounded 
strangely ; but, after a little more talk and company 
with him, I had full conviction about it* 

Chr. And did you ask him what man this was, and 
how you must be justified by him?(c) 

Hope, Yes, and he told me it was the Lord Jesus, 
that dwelleth on the right hand of the Most High : 
And thus, said he, you must be justified by him — 
even by trusting to what he hath done by himself in 
the days of his flesh, and suffered when he did hang on 
the tree. I asked him further, how that man's righ- 
teousness coiild be of that efficacy to justify another 
before God ? And he told me, He was the Mighty 
God, and did what he did, and died the death also, not 
for himself, but for me, to whom his doings and the 
w^orthiness of them should be imputed, if I believed 
On him. 

Chr. And what did you do then? 

Hope. I made my objections against my believing, 
for that I thought he was not willing to save me. 

Chr. And what said Faithful to you then? 

Hope. He bid me go to him and see. Then I said 
it was presumption. He said No, for I was invited to 
come.(^) — Then he gave me a book of Jesus's indi- 
ting, to encourage me the more freely to come : and he 
said, concerning that book, that every jot and tittle 
thereof stood firmer than heaven and earth. (c) Then 
I asked him what I must do when I came ? And he 
told me, I must entreat upon my knees ;((/) with all 
my heart and soul, the Father to reveal him to me, 



(a) Rom. Iv. Col. i. Heb. x. 2 Pet. 1. (Z») Matt. xi. 28. 

(c) Matt, xfiiy, "5, (r/) PsaV xcy. 0. Jer. X3ciil 12, VS^ Dm. vu Wt 



-222 IIK PERSEVERES IN FRAYIKG. 

Then I asked him further, how I must make my sup- 
pHcation to him ? And he said, Go, and thou shall 
find him upon a mercy- seat, (a) where he sits, all the 
year long, to give pardon and forgiveness to them that 
come. I told him that I knew not what to say when 
I came. And he bid me say to this effect — *' God be 
merciful to me a sinner," and, make me to know and 
believe in Jesus Christ : for I see, that if his righ- 
teousness had not been, or I have not faith in that righ- 
teousness, I am utterly cast away.*^ Lord, I have 
heard that thou art a merciful God, and hast ordained 
that thy son Jesus Christ should be the Saviour of the 
world ; and, moreover, that thou art willing to bestow 
him upon such a poor sinner as I am, (and I am a sin* 
ner indeed :) Lord, take therefore this opportunity, 
and magnify thy grace in the salvation of my soul, 
through thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.'* 

Chr. And did you do as you were bidden ? 

Hope. Yes, over, and over, and over. 

Chr. And did the Father reveal the Son to you ? 

Hope. Not at first, nor second, nor third, nor fourth, 
nor fifth, no, nor at the sixth time neither. f 

Chr. What did you do then? 

Hope. What ! why I could not tell what to do. 

Chr. Had you not thoughts of leaving off praying ? 

Hope. Yes, and a hundred times twice told. 

Chr. And what was the reason you did not ? 

Hope. I believed that that was true which hath been 



* Pray mind tliis The grand object of a sensible sinner is righteousness 
(or holiness.) He has it not in hinrjself. This he knows. Where is it to 
be found? In Christ only. This is a revealed truth ; and without faith in 
Hiis, every sinner must be lost. Consider, it is at the peril of your souls, 
that yovi reject the riq^hteousness of Christ, and do not believe that God 
imparts it for the justification of the ungodly- O ye stout-hearted, self- 
Tighteous sinners, ye who are fur from righteousness ! Know this and trem- 
ble. 

f There may be, and often are, very great discouragements found in every 
sinner's Iieart, when he first begins to seek tlie Lord. But he han 
Christ's faithful word of promise, " Seek and ye shall find," &c. Luke xi. ^ 

^n) Exod. Jtsy. ^% Ler^ xvi. % He]?, iv- 1^- 



HOW CHRIST WAS KEVEALEI) TO HIM. 223 

told me, to wit, that without the righteousness of this 
Christ all the world could not save me : and therefore, 
thought I with myself, if I leave off I die, and I can 
but die at the throne of grace. And withal this came 
into my mind, ** If it tarry, wait for it ; because it u'ill 
surely come, and will not tarry."(«) So I continued, 
until the Father showed me his Son.* 

Chr. And how was he revealed unto you ? 

Hope. I did not see him with my bodily eyes, but 
with the eyes of my understanding, (/>) and thus it was : 
— one day I was very sad, I think sadder than at any 
one time of my life ; and this sadness was through a 
fresh sight of the greatness and vileness of my sins. 
And as I was then looking for nothing but hell, and 
the everlasting damnation of my soul, suddenly, as I 
thought, I saw tlie Lord Jesus look down from heaven 
upon me, and saying, ^'Believe on the Lord Jtsu% 
Christ, and thou shalt be saved. "(r) 

But I replied, '* Lord, I am a great, a very great 
sinner:" and he answered, "My gi'ace is sufficient 
for thee." Then I said, " But, Lord, what is believ- 
ing?" And then I saw from that saying, " He that 
Cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth 
on me shall never thirst,"(c?) that belie vhig and coming 
was all one ; and that he that came, that is, ran out in 
his heart and affection after salvation by Christ, he in- 
deed believed in Christ. Then the water stood in 
mine eyes, and I asked further, " But, Lord, may such 
a great sinner as I am, be indeed accepted of thee, 
and be saved by thee ?" And I heard him say, " And 
him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out."(^) 
Then I said, " But how, Lord, must I consider of 



* The true nature of fulth Is, to believe and rest upon the word of trutii, 
>ind wait with humble fervency of soul for the promised comfort. That 
faith which is the g-ift of God, leads the soul to wait upon and cry to God, 
and not to rest till it has some blessed testimony from God, of interest in 
the love anrf favour of God in Christ Jesus. But O how many professors 
.-est short of this i 

(a) Hab. ii- 3. (/») Eph. i. 18, 19. (0 Acts \\l 50, Si. 

(dy John vi. 35. (f) Mm vi 37- 



224 TO THE INCREASE OF Hlfe HUMILITY AND LOTE. 

thee in my coming to thee, " that my faith may be 
placed aright upon thee ?" Then he said, '* Christ 
came into the world to save sinners :" 'Mie is the end 
of the law for righteousness to every one that believes :"" 
*' he died for our sins, and rose again for our justifica- 
tion :" *'he loved us, and washed us from our sins in 
his own blood : " ''he is Mediator betwixt God and 
us :" " he ever liveth to make intercession for us :"(«) 
From all which I gathered, that I must look for righ- 
teousness in his person,^ and for satisfaction for my 
sins by his blood ; that which he did in obedience to 
iis Father's law, and in submitting to the penalty there- 
of, was not for himself, but for him that will accept it 
for his salvation, and be thankful. And now was my 
heart full of joy, mine eyes full of tears, and mine af- 
fections running over with love to the name, people, 
and ways of Jesus Christ. 

Chr. This was a revelation of Christ to your soul 
indeed : but tell me particularly what effect thiij had 
upon your spirit. 

Hope. It made me see that all the world, notwith- 
standing all the righteousness thereof, is in a state of 
condemnation : It made me see that God the Father, 
though he be just, can justly justify the coming sinner :. 
it made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my for- 
mer life, and confounded me with the sense of mine 
own ignorance ; for there never came thought into my 
heart, before now, that showed me so the beauty of Je- 
sus Christ : it made me love a holy life, and long to 
do something for the honour and glory of the Lord 
Jesus ; yea, I thought that, had I now a thousand gal- 
lons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the 
sake of the Lord Jesus. 



* Reader, never think that you are fully convinced of the whole trutli ; 
nor believe fully on Clirist according' to the scriptures, unless you have seeu 
as much need of Christ's glorious righteousness to justify, as of his pre- 
cious blood to pardon you. Both are revealed in the gospel : both are tlie 
objects of fiiith ; by both is tlie conscience pacified, the heart purified, -tliSi. 
soul justified, and Jesus glorified in the heart, lip, and life. 

(fl) 1 Tim. i. 15. Rom. s. 4. Heb. vii. 24, 2$^ 



THE PILGRIMS STOP, AND IGNORANCE COMES UP. 225 



CHAPTER XIX. 

THE PILGRIMS HAVE ANOTHER CONFERENCE WITH 

IGNORANCE. 

I SAW then in my dream, that Hopeful looked back 
and saw Ignorance, whom they had left behind, com- 
ing after : Look, said he to Christian, how far yonder 
youngster loitereth behind. 

Chr. Ay, ay, I see him: he careth not for our 
company. 

Hope. But I trow it would not have hurt him, had 
he kept pace with us hitherto. 

Chr. That is true ; but Til warrant you he thinketh 
otherwise. 

Hope. That I think he doth : but, however let us 
tarry for him. So they did. 

Then Christian said to him, Come away, man ; why 
do you stay so behind ? 

Ignor. I take my pleasure in walking alone; eveti 
more a great deal than in company ; unless 1 like it 
better. 

Then said Christian to Hopeful (but softly,) Did not 
I tell you he cared not for our company ? But, however, 
said he, come up, and let us talk away the time in this 
solitary place. Then, directing his speech to Ignorance, 
he said. Come, how do you ? how stands it between 
God and your soul now ? 

Ignor. I hope well ; for I am always full of good mo- 
tions, that come into my mmd to comfort me as I 
walk.* 



* Many sincere souls are often put to a stand, while they find and feel 
the workini^s of corruption in their nature; anH when tliey hear others 
talk so hig-hly of themselves, without any complai^ungs of the plag-ue of thtir 
hearts. But all this is from the ignorance of their own hearts ; ;;nd iiridft 
and self-righteousness harden them igainst feeling its desperate wicked' iss. 
But divine teaching causes s. Christian to see, know, and feel the worst of 

29 



iffi 



226 ignorance's hope, heart, anb thoughts;. 

Chr. What good motions ? pray tell us. 

Ignor. Why, r think of God and heaven. 

Chr. So do the devils and damned souls. 

Ignor. But I think of them and desire them. 

Chr. So do many that are never like to come 
there. *' The soul of the sluggard desires, and hath 
nothing, "(a) 

Ignor. But I think of them, and leave all for them. 

Chr. That I doubt: for leaving of all is an hard 
m?ritter ; yea, a harder matter than many are aware of. 
Bu^ wh3% or by Vv^hat, art thou persuaded that thou hast 
left ail for God and heaven ? 

Ignor. Mv heart tells me so. 

Chr. The wise man says, " He that trusts his own 
heart is a fooi."(Z>) 

Ignor. This is spoken of an evil heart; but mine 
is a irood one. 

C R, But how^ dost thou prove that ? 

Ignor. It comforts me in hopes of heaven. 

Chr. That may be through its deceitfulness ; for 
a man's heart may minister comfort to him in the 
hopes of that thing for which he has yet no ground to 
hope. 

Ignor. But my heart and life agree together; and 
tlierefore my hope is well grounded. 

Chr. Who told thee that thy heart and life agree 
together ? 

Ignor. My heart tells me. 

Chr. " Ask my fellow if I he a thief '''^ Thy heart 
tells thee so ! Except the word of God beareth witness 
in this matter, other testimony is of no value. 



himself, that he may g-lory of notlnng in or of himself, but that all his pfla- 
rying- sho;:ld i)e of ^^ luit precious (Christ is to him, and what he is in Christ. 
See the contrary of all lliis exemplified in Ig-norance, in whom we behold^, 
^s in :i itirror, many pr 'fessors who are strangers to their own hearts^ 
li^})?e iiye deceived into vain self-confidence. 

(a) PrQV. :^iii, 4. {fi) Prov, xxviii. 2C 



#\VHAT ARE GOOD THOTTOHTS- 227 

Tgnor. But is it not a good eart that has good 
thoughts ? and is not that a good life that is according 
to God's commandments? 

Chr. Yes, that is a good heart that hath good 
thoughts, and that is a good life that is according to 
God's commandments ; but it is one thing indeed to 
have these, and another thing only to think so. 

Ignor. Pray, what count you good thoughts, and 
a life according to God's commandments ? 

Chr. There are good thoughts of divers kinds; 
- — some respecting ourselves, some— -God, some — 
Christ, and some — other things. 

Ignor. What be good thoughts respecting our- 
selves ? 

Chr. Such as agree with the word of God. 

Ignor. When do our thoughts of ourselves agree 
with the word of God ? 

Chr. When w^e pass the same judgment upon our- 
selves, which the word passes. — To explain myself: 
the word of God saith of persons in a natural condi- 
tion, " There is none righteous, there is none that do- 
eth good." It saith also, that "every imagination of 
the heart of a man is only evil, and that continu- 
ally."(Q:) And again, " The imagination of man's 
heart is evil from his youth." Now then, when we 
think thus of ourselves, having sense thereof, then are 
our thoughts good ones, because according to the 
word of God. 

Ignor. I will never believe that my heart is thus 
bad.^ 

Chr. Therefore thou never hadst one good thought 
concerning thyself in thy life. — But let me go on. As 
the word passeth a judgment upon our heart, so it 



* No ; no man naturally can. But this is a sure sig-ii that the light fi'om 
heaven hath not yet shined into the lieart, and made it manifest, how su;)er- 
iatively \riclced the hea';t is, and consequently, how it deceives ig-norant pro- 
fessors witfi a notion of being" g-ood in tliemselvcs, and keeps t-'vr-n fiom 
wholly relying upon Ciirist's atonement for pardon, and justification unto 
lire-' 

(a) Gen. vl 5- Rom. rii. 



228 igivorance's faith; christian 

passeth a judgment upon our ways ; and when the 
thoughts of our hearts and ways agree with the judg- 
ment which the word giveth of both, then are both 
good, because agreeing thereto. 

Ignor. Make out your meaning. 

Chr. Why the word of God saith, that man's ways 
are crooked ways, not good, but perverse : it saith, 
they are naturally out of the good way, that they have 
not known it.[a) Now when a man thus thinketh of 
his ways ; I say, when he doth sensibly, and with heart- 
humiliation, thus think, then hath he good thoughts^ 
of his own ways, because his thoughts now agree with 
the judgment of the word of God. 

Ignor. What are good thoughts concerning God? 

Chr. Even, as I have said concerning ourselves, 
when our thoughts of God do agree with what the 
Avord saith of him ; and that is, when we think of his 
being and attributes as the word hath taught ; of w hich 
I cannot now discourse at large. But to speak of him 
in reference to us ; then we have right thoughts of God, 
when we think that he knows us better than we know 
ourselves, and can see sin in us, when and where we 
can see none in ourselves : when we think he knows 
our inmost thoughts, and that our heart, with all its 
depths, is always open unto his eyes : also when wc 
think that all our righteousness stinks in his nostrils, 
and that therefore he cannot abide to see us stand be- 
fore him in any confidence, even in all our best per- 
formances. 

Ignor. Do you think that I am such a fool as to 
think God can see no further than I ? or that I w^ould 
come to God in the best of my performances ? 

Chr. \¥hy, how dost thou think in this matter? 

Ignor. Why, to be short, I think I must believe 
in Christ for justification. 

Chr. How^ ? think thou must believe in Christ 
when thou seest not thy need of him ! Thou neither 



(a) Ps. cxxv. 3- Prov. ii. 15' 



CONTRASTS IT WITH JUSTIFICATION. 229 

Seest thy original nor actual infirmities ; but hast such 
an opinion of thyself, and of what thou doest, as plain- 
ly renders thee to be one that did never see a necessity 
of Christ's personal righteousness to justify thee before 
God.* How then dost thou sav, I believe in Christ? 

Igi/or. I believe well enough for all that» 

Chr. How dost thou believe ? 

Ignor. I believe that Christ died for sinners; and 
that I shall be justified before God from the curse^ 
through his gracions acceptance of my obedience to his 
laws. Or thus, Christ makes my duties, that are reli- 
gious, acceptable to his Father by virtue of his merits, 
and so shall I be justified.! 

Chr. Let us give an answer to this confession of 
thy faith. 

1. Thou belie vest with a fantastical faith ; for this 
faith is no where described in the word. 

2. Thou believest with a false faith ; because thou 
takest justification from the personal righteousness of 
Christ, and appliest it to thy own. 

3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy^ 
person, but of thy actions ; and of thy person for thy 
actions' sake, which is false. 

4 Therefore this faith is deceitful, even such as will 
leave thee under wrath in the day of God Almighty : 
for true justifying faith puts the soul, as sensible of its 
lost condition by the law upon fleeing for refuge unto 
Christ's righteousness ; (which righteousness of his is 
not an act of grace, by which he maketh for justifica- 
tion, thy obedience accepted of God, but his personal 



* Here we see how naturally the notion of man's righteousness blinds his 
eyes to, and keeps his heart from believing-, that Christ a/o;ze justifies a sinner 
In the sie^ht of God ; and yet such talk of believing, but tlieir faith is only 
fancy. They do notbclie'oe unto righteousness, but imagine they have now, or 
shall get a righteousness of their own, some how or otliei*. Awful delusion? 

f Here is the very essence of that delusion which works by a lie, and so 
much prevails, and keeps up an unscriptural hope in the hearts of so many 
professors. Do, Reader, study this point well ; for here seems to be a show 
of scriptural truth, while the rankest poison lies concealed in it. For it is 
Oltcrly subversive of, and contrary to the faith and hope of the gospel. 



2S0 IGNORANCE ANSWERS WITH REPROAGHE?, 

obedience to the law, in doing and suffering for us 
what that required at our hands :) this righteousness, I 
say, true faith accepteth ; under the skirt of which the 
soul being shrouded, and by it presented as spotless 
before God, it is accepted, and acquitted from con- 
demnation.* 

Ignor. What! would you have us trust to what 
Christ in his own person hath done without us ? This 
conceit would loosen the reins of our lust, and tolerate 
us to live as we list : for what matter how we live, if 
we may be justified by Christ's personal righteousness 
xi'om all, Avhen we believe it ?f 

Chr. Ignorance is thy name ; and as thy name Is, 
so art thou ; even this thy answer demonstrateth what 
I say. Ignorant ihou art of what justifying righteous- 
ness 13, and as ignorant how to secure thy soul, through 
the f:iith of it, irom the heavy wrath of God. Yea, 
thou also^art io;norant of the true effect of savins: faith 
in this righteousness of Christ, which is to bow and 
win over the heart to God in Christ, to love his name^ 
his word, ways and people, and not as thou ignorantly 
imaginest. 

Hope. Ask him if ever he had Christ revealed to 
hirn from heaven. J 



* Under tliese four heads, we haA'e a most excellent detection of a pre- 
sumptive and most dang-eroiis error which now g'reatiy prevails ; as well as 
a scriptural view of the nature of true faith, and tlie ohject it fixes on whol- 
ly and solely for justiiication before God, and acceptance with God. Read- 
er, for tliy soul's sake look to thy ioundation. See that you build upon no- 
thing- in self, but all upon that sure foundation which God hath laid, even 
his beloved Son. 

-f- No sooner can you propose to an ignorant professor, Christ's »ig-hteous-- 
ness alone for justification, but he instantly displays his ignorance of the 
power of the truth, and the influence of faith, by crying out, " Antinomi- 
anism ! O you are for destroying holiness at tlie root, and for bringing in 
licentiousness like a flood-" Tims pride works by a lie, and is suppoitecf 
by self-rig-liteousness, m opposition to God's grace, and submission to 
Clu'ist's righteousness. This is a spreading heresy of the flesh, which 
most dreadfully prevails at this day. Be not deceived. 

^ Tiiis, by natural men, is deemed the very heighl of enthusiasm; but » 
spiritual man knows the blessedness, and rejoices in the comfort of this. It 
is a close question ; what may we understand by it ? Doubtless, what Paul 
means, when he says, "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me," Gal. i, 16-, 



AND BREAKS OFF THE CONVERSATIOlff. 231 

IcNOR. What! you are a man for rcvelations ! I 
do believe that what both you aiid all the rest of you 
say about tliat matter, is but the fruit of distracted 
brains. 

Hope. Why, man ! Christ is so hid in God from the 
natural apprehensions of the flesh, that he cannot by 
any man be savingly known, unless God the Father re- 
veals him to them. 

Ignor. That is your faith, but not mine : yet mine, 
I doubt not, is as good as yours, though I have not in 
my head so many whimsies as you. 

•Chr. Give me leave to put in a word : — you ought 
not to speak so slightiy of this matter : for this I boldly 
affirm (even as my good companion hath done,) that no 
man can know Jesus Christ but by the revelation of the 
Father ; yea, and faith too, by which the soul layeth 
hold upon Christ (if it be right,) must be wrought by 
the exceeding greatness of his mighty power ;(tz) the 
working of which faith, I perceive, poor Ignorance, thou 
art ignorant of. Be awakened then, see thine own 
WTetchedness, and flee to the Lord Jesus ; and by his 
righteousness, which is the righteousness of God, (for 
he himself is God,) thou shalt be delivered from con- 
demnation.* 



that is, he had such an hiternal, spiritual, experimental sig-ht and kno\\'- 
ledp:e of Christ, and of salvation by him, tliat his heart embraced liirn, liis 
soul cleaved to him, his spirit rejoiced in him; his whole man was swallow- 
ed up with the love of him, so that he cried out in the joy of his soid. This 
is my beloved and my friend— my Saviour, my God, and my salvation. He 
is the chief of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. Wc know nothing* of 
Christ savingly, comfortably, and experimentally, till he is pleased thtis to 
reveal himself to us, Matt. xi. 27. This spiritual revela'ion of Clirist to 
the heart, is a blessing and comfort agreeable to, and consequent upon, be- 
lieving on Christ, as revealed outwardly in the word. Therefore every sin- 
cere soul should wait and look, and long, and pray for it. Beware you do 
not despise it ; if you do, you will betray your ignorance of spiritual things 
as Ignorance did, 

* rhat sinner is not thoroughly awakened, who does not see his need of 
Christ' ri righteousness to be imparted to him. Nor is he quickened, who 
has not fled to Christ as the end of the law for righteousness to every one 
who believes, Rom. x. 4. 

(a) Matt. xi. 27. 1 Cor. xii. 3. Eph. i. 18, 19. 



232 CHRISTIAN COMMISERATES IGNORANCE. 

Ig nor. You go so fast, I cannot keep pace with you : 
do you go on before : I must stay a while behind.* 
Then they said — 

•* Well, Ignorance, wilt thou yet foolish be 
To slight good counsel, ten times given thee ? 
And if thou yet refuse it, thou shalt know, 
Ere long, the evil of thy doing so. 
Remember, man, in time : stop, do not fear : 
Good counsel taken well saves; therefore hear : 
But if thou yet shalt slight it, thou wilt be 
The loser, Ignorance, TU warrant thee.** 

Then Christian addressed himself thus to his fellow r 

Chr. Well, come, my good Hopeful, I perceive that 
thou and I must walk by ourselves again. 

So I saw in my dream, that they went on apace be- 
fore, and Ignorance, he came hobbling after. Then said 
Christian to his companion, It pities me much for this 
poor man : it will certainly go ill with him at last. 

Hope. Alas! there are abundance in our town in 
this condition, whole families, yea, whole streets, and 
that of pilgrims too ; and if there be so many in our 
parts, how many, think you, must there be in the place 
where he was born Pf 

Chr. Indeed the word saith, "He hath blinded their 
eyes, lest they should see," &c. 

But, now we are by ourselves, what do you think of 
such men ? have they at no time, think you, convictions 
of sin, and so consequently fear that their state is dan- 
gerous ? 

Hope. Nay, do you answer the question yourself, 
for you are the elder man. 



* Ignorant professors cannot keep pace with spiritual pilgrims, nor ca» 
they relish the doctrines of Christ being all in all, in the matter of justifica- 
tion and salvation. 

f Ignorance had just the same natural notions of salvation which he was 
Ijorn witli, only he had been taught to dress them up by the art of sophistry. 
Hence it is they so much abounded among professors in every age. O what 
a mercy to be delivered from them, to be spiritually enlightened and taught 
the truth as it is in Jesus I 



TtTE NATURE AND AbVANTAGE OF RIGHT PEAR. 233 

Chr. Then I say, sometimes, (as I think) they may ; 
but they, being naturally ignorant, understand not that 
such convictions tend to their good ; and therefore 
they do desperately seek to stifle diem, and presump- 
tuously continue to flatter themselves in the way of 
their own hearts. 

Hope. I do believCj as you say, that fear tends 
much to men's good, and to make them right at their 
beginning to go on pilgrimage. 

Chr. Without all doubt it doth, if it be right: for 
so says the word, " The fear of the Lord is the begin- 
ning of wisdom. "(a) 

Hope. How will you describe right fear? 

Chr. True or right fear is discovered by three 
things : 1. By its rise : it is caused by saving convic- 
tions for sin. — 2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of 
Christ for salvation. — 3. It begetteth and continueth in 
the soul a great reverence of God, his word, and ways, 
keeping it tender, and making it afraid to turn from 
them, to the right hand or the left, to any thing that 
may dishonour God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit^ 
or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully. 

Hope. Well said ; I believe you have said the truth. 
Are we now almost got past the Enchanted Ground ? 

Chr. Why? art thou weary of this discourse? 

Hope. No verily, but that I would know where we 
are. 

Chr. We have not now above two miles further 
to go thereon. — -But let us return to our matter. — Now^ 
the ignorant know not that such convictions, that tend 
to put them in fear, are for their good, and therefore 
they seek to stifle them. 

Hope. How do they seek to stifle them ? 

Chr. 1. They think that those fears are WTOUght 
by the devil (though indeed they are wrought by God ;) 



(fl) Job xxviii. 28. Ps. cxi. 10. Prov. i. 7- ix. 10. 

39 



t 



234 DISCOURSE CONCERNING TEMPORARY- 

and thinking so, they resist them, as things that direct- 
ly tend to their overthrow. 2. They also think that 
these fears tend to the spoiling of their faith ; when, 
alas for them, poor men that they are, they have none 
at all ! — and therefore they harden their hearts against 
them. 3. They presume they ought not to fear, and 
therefore in despite of them wax presumptuously con« 
fident. 4. They see that those fears tend to take away 
from them their pitiful old self- holiness,* and there- 
fore they resist them with all their might. 

Hope. I know something of this myself: before 
I knew myself it was so with me.f 

Chr. Well, we will leave, at this time, our neigh- 
bour Ignorance by himself, and fall upon another pro« 
fitable question, 

Hope. With all my heart : but you shall still be- 
srin. 

o 

Chr. Well, then, did you know, about ten years 
ago, one Temporary in your parts, who was a forward 
man in religion then ? 

Hope. Know him ! yes; he dwelt in Graceless, a 
town about two miles off of Honesty, and he dwelt next 
door to one Turnback. 

Chr. Right; he dwelt under the same roof with 
him. Well, that man was much awakened once ; I be- 
lieve that then he had some sight of his sins, and of 
the wages that were due thereto. 



* Pitiful old self-holiness. Mind this phrase. Far was it from the heart 
of {rood Mr Bunyan to decry real lioliness. I suppose he was never charg- 
ed with it ; if lie was it must be by such who strive to exalt their OAvn hcli- 
ness more tl>an Christ's righteousness ; if so, it is pitiful indeed. It is no- 
thing- but seif-holineis, or the holiness of the old man of sin ; for true ho- 
liness springs from the belief of, and love to the truth. All besides this 
only tends to self-confidence and self-applause. 

f It is profitable to call to mind one's own ignorance, and natural depra- 
vity when in our unrenewed estate, to excite humility of heart, and thank- 
fulness to God, who made us to differ, and to excite pity towards those 
who are walking in nature's pride, self-rightecusness, and self-confidence. 



hopeful's account of apostacy of such men. 235 

Hope. I am of your mind, (for my house not be- 
ing above three miles from him) he would oft-times 
come to me, and that with many tears. Truly I pi- 
tied the man, and was not altogether without hope of 
him : but one may see, it is not every one that cries 
Lord, Lord. 

Chr. He told me once that he was resolved to go 
on pilgrimage, as we go now ; but all of a sudden he 
grew acquainted with one Saveseif,* and then he be- 
came a stransrer to me. 

Hrpe. Now, since we are talking about him, Ictus 
a little inquire into the reason of the sudden backsli- 
ding of him and some others. 

Chr. It may be very profitable ; but do you begin. 

Hope. Well then, there are in my judgment four 
reasons for it. 

1. Though the consciences of such men are awa- 
kened, yet their minds are not changed : therefore, 
when the power of guilt w^eareth away, that which 
provoketh them to be religious ceaseth : wherefore 
they naturally return to their old course again : even 
as we see the dog that is sick of what he hath eaten, 
so long as his sickness prevails he vomits and casts up 
all : not that he doeth this of free mind (if we must 
say a dog ha ath mind,) but because it troubleth his 
stomach : but now, when his sickness is over, and so 
his stomach eased, his desires being not at all alienated 
from his vomit, he turns him about, and licks up all ; 
and so it is true which is written, " The dog is turned 
to his own vomit again. "(a;) Thus, I say, being hot 
for heaven, by virtue only of the sense and fear of the 
torments of hell, as their sense of hell, and fear ol dam- 



* Saveself. This generation greatly abounds among us. Those who are 
under this spirit, are strangers to themselves, to the trutiis of God's hiw, 
and the promises of his gospel, and so consequently are strangers to those 
who know themselves to be totally lost; are dead to every liopr of saving 
themselves, and look only to, and glory on'y in salvation by Jesus. " Two 
cannot walk together except they be agreed." Amos iii. 3. 

(a) 2 Pet. ii. 22. 



236 *HE liFFECTS OF AN UNRENEWED HEART. 

nation, chills and cools, so their desires for heaven and 
salvation cool also. So then it comes to pass, that, 
when their guilt and fear is gone, their desires for hea- 
ven and happiness die, and they return to their course 
again,* 

2. Another reason is, they have slavish fears that 
do overmaster them : — I speak now of the fears that 
they have of men : " for the fear of man bringeth a 
snare. («-) So, then, though they seem to be hot for 
heaven so long as the flames of hell are about their 
ears, yet, when that terror is a little over, they betake 
themselves to second thoughts, namely, that it is good 
to be wise, and not to run (for they know not what) 
the hazard of losing all, or at least of bringing them- 
selves into unavoidable and unnecessary troubles ; and 
so they fall in with the world again. 

3. The shame that attends religion lies also as a 
block in their way :' they are proud and haughty, and 
religion in their eye is low and contemptible : there- 
fore, when they have lost their sense of hell and wrath 
to come, they return again to their former course, 

4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to 
them ; they like not to see their misery before they 
come into it ; though perhaps the sight of it first, if 
they loved that sight, might make them flee whither 
th^ righteous flee and are safe ; but because they do 
as I hinted before, even shun the thoughts of guilt and 
terror, therefore, when once they are rid of their awa- 
kenings about the terrors and wrath of God, they har- 
den their hearts gladly, and choose such ways as will 
harden them more and more, 

Ckr. You are pretty near the business; for the 
bottom of all is, for want of a change in their mind and 
will. And therefore they are but like the felon that 
standeth before the judge ; he quakes and trembles, and 



* A true description of the state of too many professors. Here see tlie 
j^eason why so many saints, as they are called, fall away. 

(a) Prov. sxis. 23: 



CHRISTIAN SHOWS HOW THEY DRAW BACK. 237 

seems to repent most heai'tily : but the bottom of 
all is, the fear of the halter; not that he hath anj detes- 
tation of the offences ; as is evident, because, let but 
this man have his liberty, and he will be a thief, and so 
a rogue still ; whereas, if his mind was changed, he 
would be otherwise. 

Hope. Now I have showed you the reasons of their 
going back, do you show me the manner thereof. 

Chr. So I will willingly. — They draw off their 
thoughts, all that they may, from the remembrance of 
God, death, and judgment to come : — then they cast 
off by degrees private duties, as closet-prayer, curbing 
their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, &:c. then they 
shun the company of lively and warm Christians : — after 
that they grow cold to public duty : as hearing, reading, 
godly conference, and the like ; — then they begin to 
pick holes, as we say, in the coats of some of the 
godly, and that devilishly, that they may have a seem- 
ing colour to throw religion (for the sake of some in- 
firmities they have spied in them) behind their backs : 
—then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves 
with, carnal, loose, and wanton men : — ^then they give 
way to carnal and wanton discourses in secret ; and 
glad are they if they can see such things in any that are 
counted honest, that they may the more boldly do it 
through their example. — After this, they begin to play 
with little sins openly :~and then, being hardened, they 
show themselves as they are. Thus, being launched 
again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of grace 
prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own de- 
ceivings.* 



* See how gradually, step by step, apostates g-o back. It begins in the 
Tinbelief of the heart, and ends in open sins in the hfe. Why is the love of 
this world so forbidden ? why is covetousness called idolatry ? Because, what- 
ever draws away t!ie heart from God, and prevents enjoying- close fellowship 
with him, naturally tends to apostacy from him. Look well to your hearts 
iind affections. Daily learn to obey that command, " Keep thy heart with 
Jill diligence, for out of it are the issues of life," Prov. iv. 23. If you ne- 
glect to watch, you will be sure to smart : under the sense of sin on earth, 
or its curse in hell. " See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, 
nut us wise, redeeming the tirae becausq the days are evil." Kph. v. 15 . 



238 THEY ARllIVE AT THE COUNTRY OF BEULAH, 



CHAPTEK XX. 

THE PILGRIMS TRAVEL THE PLEASANT COUNTRY OF 
BEULAH. SAFELY PASS THE RIVER OF DEATH, 
AND ARE ADMITTED INTO THE GLORIOUS CITY OF 
GOD. 

^OW I saw in my dream, that by this time the pil- 
grims were got over the Enchanted Ground, and enter- 
ing into the country of Beulah,(c) whose air was very 
sweet and pleasant, the way lying directly through it, 
they solaced themselves there for a season. Yea, here 
they heard continually the singing of birds, and saw 
every day the flowers appear in the earth, and he. rd 
the voice of the turtle in the land. In this country the 
sun shineth night and day : wherefore this was beyond 
the valley of the Shadow of Death, and also out of the 
reach of Giant Despair ; neither could they from this 
place so much as see Doubting Castle.^- Here they 
were within sight of the city they were going to : also 
here met them some of the inhabitants thereof; for in 
this land the shining ones commonly walked, because 
it was upon the borders of heaven. In this land also 
the contract between the bride and the bridegroom was 
renewed: yea, here, "as the bridegroom rejoiceth 
over the bride, so did their God rejoice over them." 
Here they had no want of corn and wine ; for in this 
place they met with abundance of what they had sought 
for in all their pilgrimage. Here they heard voices from 
out of the city, loud voices saying, *' Say ye to the 



* O wliat a blessed state ! what a g-lorious frame of the soul is this ! 
Job speaks of it as tiie candle of the Lord shining- upon his head, ch. xxix. 
3. The church, in a rapture cries out, "Sing- O heavens and be joyful, O 
earth; break forth into sing-Ing-, O mountains, for the Lord hatli comforted 
bis people," Isa. xxix. 13. Paul calls this " the fidlness of the blessing of 
tlie gospel of peace," Rom. xv. 29. O rest not short of enjoying the full 
blaze of gospel peace, and sph'ltual joy. 

(a) Sol. Song. ii. 10—12. Isa. Lxii. 4—12. 



THE PILGRIMS OVERCOME WITH JOY. 239 

daughter of Zion, Behold, thy Salvation cometh ! Be- 
hold, his reward is with him !" Here all the inhabit- 
ants of the country called them " The holy people, the 
Redeemed of the Lord, Sought out." — &c. 

Now, lis they \valked in this land, they had more re- 
joicing than in parts more remote from the kingdom 
to which they were bound ; and drawing near to the 
city they had yet a more perfect view thereof. It was 
builded of pearls and precious stones, also the streets 
thereof were paved with gold ; so that, by reason of 
the natural glory of the city, and the reflection of the 
sun- beams upon it, Christian with desire fell sick, 
Hopeful also had a fit or two of the same disease : 
wherefore here they lay by it a while, crying out be- 
cause of their pangs, " If you see my Beloved, tell him 
that I am sick of love."* 

But, being a little strengthened, and better able to 
bear their sickness, they walked on their way, and 
came yet nearer and nearer, where were orchards, vine- 
yards, and gardens, and their gates opened into the 
highway. Now, as they came up to these places, be- 
hold the gardener stood in the way ; to whom the pil- 
grims said, " Whose goodly vineyards and gardens are 
these ?" He answered, " They are the King's, and are 
planted here for his own delight, and also for the solace 
of pilgrims." So the gardener had them into the 
vineyards, and bid them refresh themselves with the 
dainties ;{a) he also showed them there the King's 
walks and arbours, where he delighted to be : and here 
they tarried and slept. 



* See what It is to long" for the fall fruition of Jesus in glory. Some 
have been so overpowered hereby, that their earthen vessels were ready to 
burst : their frail bodies have been so overcome, that they have cried, Lord, 
hold thine hand, I faint, I sink, I die, with a full sense of thy precious, pre- 
cious love. Covet earnestly this best gift. Love. Lord, shed it more abun 
dantly abroad in these cold hearts of ours ! 

{a) Deut. xxiii. 24- 



240 i'HE GLORY OF THE CITY. 

No^v I beheld in my dream, that they talked more 
in their sleep at this time than ever they did in ail their 
journey ; and, being in a muse thereabout, the garden- 
er said even to me, *' Wherefore musest thou at the 
matter ? It is the nature of the grapes of these vine- 
yards, to go down so sweetly as to cause the lips 
of them that are asleep to speak." 

So I saw that when they awoke, they addressed 
themselves to go up to the city. But, as I said, the 
reflection of the sun upon the city (for the city was 
pure gold) {a) w^as so extremely glorious, that they 
could not as yet with open face behold it, but through 
an instrument made for that purpose. So I saw that 
as they went on there met them two men in raiment 
that shone like gold, also their faces shone as the light. 

These men asked the pilgrims whence they came ? 
and they told them. They also asked them where they 
had lodged, what difficulties and dangers, what com- 
forts and pleasures, they had met with in the way ? 
and they told them. Then said the men that met 
them, *' You have but two difficulties more to meet 
with, and then you are in the city."* 

Christian then and his companion asked the men to 
go along with them : so they told them they would : 
But, said they, you must obtain it by your own faith. 
So I saw in my dream, that they went on together till 
tliey came in sight of the gate. 

Now I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate 
was a river ; but there was no bridge to go over : the 
river was very deep. At the sight therefore of this 
river, the pilgrims were much stunned ; but the men 



* What are these two difficulties ? are they not death without, and un- 
belief within ? It is through the latter, that the former is at all distressing; 
to us. O for a strong world-conquering-, sin-subduing, death-overcoming 
faith, in life and death ! Jesus, Master, speak the word, unbelief shall fleC;, 
our faith shall not fail, and our hope shall be steady. 

(a) Rev. xxl 18. 2 Cor. Ui, 18. 



^-. 



CHRISTIAN ALMOST LOST IN THE RIVER* 241 

that \v'ent with them, said, " You must go through, or 
you cannot come at the gate."* 

The pilgrims then began to inquire, if there was no 
other way to the gate ? to which they answered, '' Yes ; 
but there hath not any, save two, to wit, Enoch and 
Klijah, been permitted to tread that path, since the 
foundation of the world, nor shall until the last trumpet 
shall sound." The pilgrims then (especially Christian) 
began to despond in their minds, and looked this way 
and that, but no way could be found by them, by 
which they might escape the river. Then they asked 
the men " if the waters were all of a depth ?" they said, 
No ; yet they could not help them in that case ; " For," 
said they, " you shall find it deeper or shallower, as you 
believe in the king of the place. "f 

They then addressed themselves to the water, and 
entering. Christian began to sink, and crying out to his 
good friend Hopeful, he said, '' I sink in deep waters ; 
billows go over my head, all his waves go over me. 
Selah." 

Then said the other, "Be of good cheer, my bro- 
ther ; I feel the bottom, and it is good*" Then said 
Christian, " Ah ! my friend, the sorrow of death hath 
compassed me about, I shall not see the land that flows 
with milk and honey." And with that a great darkness 
and horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see 



* Well ; now the pilgrims must meet with, and encounter their last ene- 
my death. When he stares them in the face, their fears arise. Throug-h the 
river they must .t^o. What have they to look at ? What they ai-e in them- 
selves, or what they have done and been ? No ; only tlie same Jesus who 
conquered death for us, and can and will overcome the fear of death in us. 

f Faith builds abridg-e across the gulf of death, 
Death*s terror is the mountain faith removes. 
'Tis faith disarms destruction ; and absolves 
From every clamorous change the guiltless tomb. 

For, faith views, trusts In, and relies upon the word of Christ, for salvation 
in the victory of Christ over sin, deatli, and hell. Therefore, In every 
thing we shall always prove the truth of our Lord's words, " According to 
your faith be it unto you," Matt. ix. 29. O what support in death, to Jiave 
Jesus our triumphant conqueror to look imto, who has disarmed de^th of 
his sting, and swallowed up deatli in his victory ! 

31 



242 HOPEFUL K?vCOURAClES CHRISTIAN- 

before him. Also, lie in a great measure lost his sen 
ses, so that he could neither remember, nor orderly- 
talk of any of those sweet refreshments, that he had 
met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the 
words that he spake, still tended to discover that he had 
horror of mind, and heart-fears that he should die in 
that river, and never obtain entrance in at the gate. 
Here also, as they that stood by perceived, he was 
much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins that he 
had committed, both since and before he began to be a 
pilgrim. It was also observed, that he was troubled 
with apparitions of hobgoblins and evil spirits ; for ever 
and anon he would intimate so much bv words.*" 
Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his bro^ 
ther's head above water, yea, sometimes he would be 
quite gone down, and then, ere a while, would rise up 
again half dead. Hopeful did also endeavour to com- 
fort him, sa}^ing, " Brother, I see the gate, and men 
standing by to receive us ;" but Christian would an- 
swer, " It is you, it is you they wait for ; you have been 
Hopeful ever since I knew you." *' And so have you," 
said he, to Christian. " Ah, brother," said he, '' surely 
if I was right, he would nov/ rise to help me ; but for my 
sins he hath brought me into the snare, and hath left 
me." Then said Hopeful, " My brother, you have 
quite forgot the text, where it is said of the wicked, 
There are no bands in their death, but their strength is 
firm ; they are not troubled as other men, neither are 
they plagued like other men." These troubles and 
distresses that you go through in these waters, are no 
sign that God hath forsaken you ; but are sent to try 



* What ! after all the past, blessed experience, that Christian had en- 
joyed of his Lord's peace, love, joy, and presence with him, his holy 
transports and heavenly consolations, is all come to this at last ? You know 
** the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death," 1 Cor. xv. 26. Satan 
is sometimes suffei-ed to be very busy with God's people in their last mo- 
ments, bnthe toD, like death, is a conquered enemy by our Jesus ; therefore 
anfidst all his attacks, they are safe. For he is faithful to them, and al- 
mighty to save them. 




CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL HAVING PASSED 
THE RIVER, ARE RECEIVED BY THE 
MINISTERING SPIRITS. 






THEIR MORTAL GAR.^IENTS LEFT IN THE RIVER. 24 



f» 



you, whether you will call to mind, that which hereto- 
fore you have recei^^ed of his goodness, and live upon 
him in your distresses." 

Then I saw in my dream that Christian was in a 
muse a while. To whom Hopeful added these w^ords, 
*'Be of good cheer, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. "^ 
And with that Christian brake out with a loud voice, 
*' Oh, I see him again! and he tells me 'When thou 
passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and 
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." '(c) — 
Then they both took courage, and the enemy was after 
that as still as a stone, until they were gone over. 
Christian therefore presently found ground to stand 
upon, and so it followed that the rest of the river was 
but shallow ; but thus they got over : — Now upon the 
bank of the river, on the other side, they saw the two 
shining men again, who there waited for them. Where- 
fore being come out of the river, they saluted them, 
saying, " We are ministering spirits, sent forth to mi- 
nister to those that shall be heirs of salvation." Thus 
they went along towards the gate. — Now you must 
note, that the city stood upon a mighty hill, but the 
pilgrims went up the hill with ease, because they had 
these two men to lead them up by the arms : also they 
had left their mortal garments behind them in the river ; 
for though they went in with them, they came out 
witjiout them. They therefore went up here with 
much agility and speed, though the foundation upon 
which the city was framed was higher than the clouds : 
they therefore went up through the region of the air, 
$weetly talking as they went, being comforted, because 



* Jesus Christ, he is indeed the Alpha and Omeg-a, the first and the last^ 
the beg-innin,^ of our hope, and the end of our confidence. We beg-in and 
end the cin-isdan pilf^rimage with him ; and all our temptations and trials 
speak loudly, and fully confirm to us that truth of our Lordj " Without nic 
ye can do nothing-," John xv. 5. 

(a) Isa. xlili.2. 



244 THEY TALK WITH THE SHINING ONES : 

they safely got over the river, and had such glorious 
companions to attend them.^' 

The talk that they had with the shining ones, was 
about the glory of the place ; who told them, that the 
beauty and glory of it was inexpressible. There, said 
they, is ^' Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the in- 
numerable company of angels, and the spirits of just 
men made perfect. "(«) You are going now, said they, 
to the Paradise of God, wherein ^^ou shall see the tree 
of life, and eat of the never-fading fruits thereof: and 
when you come there, you shall have white robes given 
you, and your walk and talk shall be every day with the 
King, even all the days of eternity. (6) There you shall 
not see again such things as you saw when you were in 
the lower region upon the earth, to wit, sorrow, sick- 
ness, affliction, and death ; "for the former things are 
passed away. "(c) You are now going to Abraham, to 
Isaac, and to Jacob, and to the prophets, men that God 
hath taken awav from the evil to come, and that are 
now " resting upon their beds, each one walking in his 
righteousness." The men then asked. What must we 
do in the holy place ? To whom it was answered. You 
must there receive the comforts of all your toil, and 
have joy for all your sorrow ; you must reap what you 
have sown, even the fruit of all your prayers, and tears, 
and sufferings for the King by the wdy.{d) In that 
place you must wear crov/ns of gold, and enjoy the 
perpetual sight and vision of the Holy One ; for 
'' there 5^ou shall see him as he is. "(c) There also you 
shall serve him continually with praise, with shouting 



* All, children, none can conceive or describe what it is to live in a state 
free from the body of sin and death. Some in such ha])py, liig-lily -favoured 
nriomenls, liave had a glimpse, a foretaste of this, and could realize it by 
faith. O for more and more of this, till we possess and enjoy it in all its 
fulness. If Jesus be so sweet by faith belovr, v/ho can tell what he is in full 
fruition above ? This we must die to know. 

(a) Heb. xij. 22—24 . {b) Rev. ii. 7- iii. 4. xxii. 5. (c) Isa- Ixv. 16. 
id) Gal vi, 7, 8. {e) 1 Jolui iii. 2 



¥ 



ARE MET AND WELCOMED BY THE HEAVENLY HOST. 245 

and thanksgiving- , whom you desired to serve in the 
world, though with much ditficulty, because of the in- 
firmity of your flesh. There your eyes shall be de- 
lighted with seeing, and your ears with hearing, the 
pleasant voice of the Mighty One. There you shall 
enjoy your friends again that arc gone thither before 
you*; and there you shall with joy receive, even every 
one that follows into the holy place after you. There 
also you shall be clothed with glory and majesty, and 
put into an equipage fit to ride out with the King of 
Glory. When he shall come with sound of trumpet 
in the clouds, as upon the whigs of the wind, you 
shall come with him : and, when he shall sit upon the 
throne of judgment, you shall sit by him : yea, and 
when he shall pass sentence upon all the w^orkers of 
iniquity, let them be angels or men, you also shall have 
a voice in that judgment, because there were his and 
your enemies. Also when he shall again return to the 
city, you shall go too with sound of trumpet, and be 
ever with him.(rz) 

Now, while they w-ere thus drawing towards the 
gate, behold, a company of the heavenly host came out 
to meet them ; to whom it was said bv the other two 
shining ones, " These are the men that have loved 
our Lord, when they were in the world, and that have * 
left all for his holy name, and he hath sent us to fetch 
them, and w^e have brought them thus far on their de- 
sired journey, that they may go in and look their Re- 
deemer in the face with joy." Then the heavenly host 
gave a great shout, saying, *' Blessed are they that are 
called to the marriage- supper of the Lamb."{Z») There 
came out also at this time to meet them, several of the 
King's trumpeters, clothed in white and shining rai- 
ment, who, with melodious noises, and loud, made even 
the heavens to echo with their sound. These trum- 
peters saluted Christian and his fellow, with ten thou- 



(a) 1 Thess. iv. 13—17. Jude 14, 15. Dan. vii. 9, 10. 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. 

{b) Rev. xix. 9. 



246 THEIR INEXPRESSIBLE JOY. 

sand welcomes from the world ; and this they did with 
shouting, and sound of trumpet. 

This done, they compassed them round on every 
side ; some went before, some behind, and some on 
the right hand, some on the left, (as it were to guard 
them through the upper region,) continually sounding 
as they went, with melodious noise, in notes on high ; 
so diat the very sight w^s to them that could behold 
it, as if heaven itself was come down to meet them. 
Thus therefore they walked on together ; and, as they 
walked, ever and anon these trumpeters, even with joy- 
ful sound, would, by mixing their music with looks 
and gestures, still signify to Christian and his brother 
how Avelcome they were into their company, and with 
what gladness they came to meet them. And now 
w^ere these two men, as it were, in heaven, before they 
came at it, being swallowed up with the sight of an- 
gels, and with hearing their melodious notes. Here 
also they had the city itself in view ; and they thought 
they heard all the bells therein to ring, to welcome them 
thereto. But, above all, the warm and joyful thoughts 
that they had about their own dwelling there with such 
company, and that for ever and ever. Oh ! by what 
tongue or pen can their glorious joy be expressed !* 
— Thus they came up to the gate. 

Now, when they were come up to the gate, there was 
ivritten over it, in letters of gold, " Blessed are they 



* Thoug-h Mr Banyan has been very happy in this spirited description, 
(observes die Rev. Mr. Mason,) yet were he alive, I am sure he would not 
be offended, though I were to say, it is short and faint, infinitely so of the 
reality ; and were he permitted to come in person, and give another de- 
scription, he could only say, what the prophet and apostle tell us, *' Eye 
hath net seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the 
things which God hatli prepared for them who love him," Isa. Ixiv. 4. 
1 Cor. ii. 9. O for the increase of faith, to behold more clear the heavenly 
vision; and for love to Jesus, the God of our salvation, that we may have 
more of heaven in our soals, even wjiile we are pilgrims here on the earth- 
For none but tliose who love him on eai'th, can enjoy him in heaven. 



tUtY ENTER THE CITY, AND ARE CROWNED. 247 

that do his commandments, that they may have right* 
to the tree of Hfe, and may enter in through the gates 
into the city. "(a) 

Then I saw in my dream, that the shining men bid 
them call at the gate : the which when they did, some 
from above looked over the gate, to wit, Enoch, Mo- 
ses, and Elias, he, to whom it was said, " These pil- 
grims are come from the city of Destruction, for the 
love that they bear to the King of this place ;" and 
then the pilgrims gave in unto them each man his cer- 
tificate, which they had received in the beginning : 
those therefore were carried in unto the King, who, 
when he had read them, said, " Where are the men ?" 
To whom it was answered, " They are standing with- 
out the gate." The King then commanded to open 
the gate, ''that the righteous nation," said he, "that 
keepeth truth may enter in.t(<^) 

Now I saw in my dream, that these two men went 
m at the gate ; and lo ! as they entered, they were 
transfigured ; and they had raiment put on that shone 
like gold. There were also that met them with harps 
and crowns, and gave them to them ; the harps to 
praise withal, and the crowns in token of honour. — 
Then I heard in my dream, that all the bells in the city 
rang again for joy, and that it was said unto them. 



* Right here slg-nlfies, power or privileg-e, as in John i. 12. " To as ma- 
ny as receive Clirist, to them gave he power, right, orprlvileg-e ; to become 
the sons of God, even to them who believe in his name." 

f The righteous nation, who are they ? O say the self-righteous pbarjsees 
of the day, they are those, who by their good works and righteous actions 
have made themselves to differ from others, and are thus become righteous 
before God- To whom shall the Lord command the gate of glory to be 
opened but to these good righteous people ? But Peter tells us, " The 
righteous nation is a chosen generation," from among the world, are of a 
different generation to tliem. They see no righteousness in themselves, 
and tlierefore are little, lo^v, and mean in tlieir own eyes ; being begotten 
by the word of truth, .and born again of the Spirit, they receive and love 
the truth as it is in Jesus. By this truth they regulate their life and walk ; 
and this truth they hold fast in life, and keep unto death ; and thus living 
atid dying in the belief of the truth, they can say with Paid, " I have kept 
the fuith, and henceforth tiiere is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 
which the Lord the righteous judge will give me, and to all who love his 
appearing.'* 

(a) Rev. xxii. 14 (A) Isa- xxvii 2. 



248 IGNORANCE FERRIED OVER BY VAIN-HOPE. 

" Enter ye into the joy of your Lord." I also heard 
the men themselves, that they sang with a loud voice, 
saying, " Blessing, honour, and glory, and power, be 
to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb 
for ever and ever. "(a) — 

Now, just as the gates were opened to let in the 
men, I looked in after them, and, behold, the city shone 
like the sun ; the streets also were paved with gold ; 
and in them walked many men with crowns on their 
heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps, to sing 
praises withal. 

There were also of them that had wings, and they 
answered one another without intermission, saying, 
" Holy, holy, holy is the Lord." And after that they 
shut up the gates : which when I had seen, I wished 
myself among them. 

Now, vvhile I was gazing upon all these things, I 
turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance come 
up to the river side : but he soon got over, and that 
without half that difficulty which the other two men 
met with. For it happened that there was then in that 
place one Vain-hope,^ a ferry-man, that with his boat 
helped him over : so he, as the other I saw, did ascend 
the hill, to come up to the gate ; only he came alone ; 
neither did any man meet him with the least encou- 
ragement. When he was come up to the gate, he 
looked up to the writing that w^as above, and then be- 
gan to knock, supposing that entrance should have 
been quickly administered to him : but he was asked 
by the man that looked over the top of the gate, 
'' Whence come you ? and what would you have ?" 
He answered, '^ I have eat and drank, in the presence 



* Vain-hope ever dwells in the bosom of fools, and is ever ready to as- 
sist Ignorance* He wanted him at the last, and he found him. He had 
been hi.s companion through life^ and will not forsake him in the hour of 
dealh. You see Ignorance had no bands in his death ; no fiears, doubts, 
and sorrows, no terror from the enemy, but all appeared serene and happy. 
Vain-hope was his ferryman, and he, as the good folks say, died like a 
lamb ; all, but did such lambs see what was to follow, when Vain-hope 
hud wafted them over the river, they would roar like lions. 

{a) Rev. V. 13, 14. 



IGNORANCE IS CARRIED BACK TO HELL. 249 

of the King, and he has taught in our streets." Then 
they asked him for his certificate, tliat they might go in 
and show it to the King : — So he fumbled in his bosom 
for one, and found none. Then said the}-^, You have 
none : but the man answered never a word.* So they 
told the King, but he would not come down to see 
him, but commanded the two shining ones, diat con- 
ducted Christian and Hopeful to the city, to go out and 
take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have 
him away. Then they took him up, and carried him 
through the air to the door that I saw in tliie side of the 
hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was 
a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as 
from the city of Destruction.! — So I awoke, and be- 
held it was a dream. 



* Hence see, that ignorant, vain confident professors, may keep up a 
profession, even unto the end ; yea, and maintain a self-righteous hope to the 
very last, without any internal operation of the Spirit upon their hearts, 
quickening them to a life of faith on the Son of God. Such when they are 
called upon for their certificate, find themselves destitute of one. They set 
out in nature, and have nothing more about them than what their natural 
notions furnish them with. Spiritual revelations of Christ to the heart, 
thi'ough faith in the word, they despised : and therefore, when searched to 
the bottom, behold they are speechless. They could talk of their moral 
powei-s, faithfulness in life, but they have not one word to say of jjrecious 
Christ, and his full salvation ; what he hatli wrought in them, whereby he 
becomes altogether lovely in their eyes ; and his truths, promises, and com- 
mands, the choice, the delight, and the glory of their hearts. O without 
this, the profession of being a pilgrim will end in awful delusion ! 

f This is a most awful conclusion. Consider it deeply. Weigh it atten- 
tively, so as to get good satisfaction from the word, to these important ques- 
tions. Am I in Christ the waj/, the only way to the kingdom, or not ? Do I 
see that all otlier ways, whether of sin or self-righteousness, leads to hell ? 
does Christ dwell in my heart by faith ? am I a new creature in hivi ? do I 
renounce my own righteousness, as well as abhor my sins ? do I look to 
Clirist alone for mercy, and depend only on him for holiness ? is he the only 
hope of my soul, and the only confidence of my heart ? and do I desh'e to be 
found in hhn^ knowing by the word, and feeling by the teaching of his Spirit, 
that I am totally lost in myself? Thus is Christ formed in me, the only hope 
of glory ? Do I study to please him, as well as hope to enjoy him ? Is fel- 
lowship with God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, so prized by me, as 
to seek it and to esteem it above all things 1 If so, though I may find all things 
in nature, in the world, and from Satan continually opposing this, yet I am 
in Christ the wrty, and he is in me the truth and the life. I am one v;ith him, 
and he is one with me- 

32 



THE CONCLUSION. 



^•r*sfs®<:^.s^ 



Now JReader, I have told my dream to thee, 

See if thou canst interpret it to me, 

Or to thyself, or neighbour ; but take heed 

Of misinterpreting ; for that, instead 

Of doing good, will but thyself abuse ; 

By misinterpreting, evil ensues. 

Take heed also that thou be not extreme, 

In playing with the outside of my dream : 

Nor let my figure or similitude 

Put thee into a laughter, or a feud : 

Leave this for boys and fools ; but as for thee, 

Do thou the substance of my matter see. 

Put by the curtains, look within my veil, 

Turn up my metaphors, and do not fail ; 

There, if thou seekest them, such things thou'lt find 

As will be helpful to an honest mind. 

What of my dross, thou findest here, be bold 

To throw away, but yet preserve the gold. 

What if my gold be wrapped up in ore ? 

None throw away the apple for the core. 

But if thou shalt cast all away as vain, 

I know not but 'twill make me dream again* 

END OF THE FIRST PART. 




':i 




CHRISTIANA PREVAILS WITH HER CHIL 
DREN TO GO ON PILGRIMAGE. 



THE 

PILGRIM'S PROGEESS 

FROM THIS WORLD 
TO THAT WHICH IS TO C03IE. 

DELIVERED 

UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM. 

PART THE SECOJ\'D. 

WHEREIN IS SET FORTH THE MANNER OP 

THE SETTING OUT OF 

CHRISTIAN'S WIFE AND CHILDREN j 

THEIR DANGEROUS JOURNEY, AND SAFE ARRIVAL 
AT THE DESIRED COUNTRY. 

'VWViV. 

BY JOHN BUNYAN. 

'^.VW^^ 

A NEW EDITION, DIVIDED INTO CHAPTER^-. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL NOTES; 

EMBELLISHED WITH ELEGANT ENGRAVINGS. 

J\'EW-YORK: 
PUBLISHED BY JOHN TIEBOrT, 

238 WATER-STREET. 
Paul '3 Thomas, Printen. 

1811, 



THK 

AUTHOR'S PREFACE 

TO THP. 

SECOND PART. 

— »'9 « - 

Go now, my little book, to every place, 
Where my First Pilgrim has but shown his face ; 
Call at their door ; If any say. Who's there I 
Then answer thou, Christiana is here. 
If they bid thee come in, then enter thou. 
With all thy boys : and then thou knowest how ; 
Tell who they are, also from whence they came ; 
Perhaps they know them by their looks or name : 
But if they should not, ask them yet again. 
If formerly they did not entertain 
One Christian, a Pilgrim ? If they say 
They did, and were delighted in his way. 
Then let them know, that those related were 
Unto him : yea, his wife and children are. 

Tell them, that they have left their house and home, 
Are turned Pilgrims ; seek a world to come : 
That they have met with hardships in the way ; 
That they do meet with troubles night and day : 
That they have trode on serpents, fought with devils ; 
Have also overcome as many evils. 
Yea, tell them also of the next who have, 
Of love to pilgrimage, been stout and brave 
Defenders of that way ; and how they still 
Refuse this world, to do their Father's wilL 

Go, tell them also of those dainty things, 
That pilgrimage unto the Pilgrims brings : 
Let them acquainted be too, how they are 
Beloved of the King, under his care ; 
What goodly mansions he for them provides, 
Though they meet with rough winds and swelling tides ; 
How brave a calm they will enjoy at last, 
Who to the Lord, and to his ways hold fast. 



254 PREFACE TO THE SECOND PART: 

Perhaps with heart and hand they will embrace 
Thee, as they did my firstling, and will grace 
Thee and thy fellows with good cheer and fare, 
As show well they of Pilgrims lovers are* 

OBJECTION I. 

But how, if they will not Relieve of me 
That I am truly thine ; 'cause some there be 
That counterfeit the Pilgrim and his name. 
Seek, by disguise, to seem the very same ; 
And, by that means, have brought themselves into 
The hands and houses of I know not who ? 

ANSWER. 

'Tis true, some have, of late, to counterfeit 
My Pilgrim, to their own my title set ; 
Yea, others half my name, and title too, 
Have stitched to their books, to make them do ; 
But yet they, by their features, do declare 
Themselves not mine to be, whose e'er they are. 

If such thou meet'st with, then thine only way, 
Before them all, is to say out thy say, 
In thine own native language, which no man 
Now useth, or with ease dissemble can. 
If, after all, they still of you shall doubt, 
Thinking that you like gypsies go about. 
In naughty ways, the country to defile ; 
Or that you seek good people to beguile 
With things unwarrantable, — send for me, 
And I will testify you Pilgrims be ; 
Yea, I will testify that only you 
My Pilgrims are, and that alone will do. 

OBJECTION II. 

But yet, perhaps, I may inquire for him, 
Of those that with him damned life and limb : 
What shall I do, when I at such a door 
For Pilgrims ask, and they shall rage the more ? 

ANSWER. 

Fright not thyself, my book ; for such bugbears 
Are nothing else but ground for groundless fears* 
My Pilgrim's book has travell'd sea and land, 
Yet could I never come to understand 
That it was slighted, or turn'd out of door, 
By any kingdom, were they rich or poor. 

In France and Flanders, where men kill each other. 
My Pilgrim is cstecm'd a friend, m brother. 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND PART. 25S 

In Holland too, 'tis said, as I am told, 
My Pilgrim is, with some, worth more than gold. 

Highlanders and wild Irish can agree 
My Pilgrim should familiar with them be. 
'Tis in New-England under such advance, 
Receives there so much loving countenance, 
As to be trimm'd, new cloth'd, and deck'd with gems, 
That it may show its features and its limbs. 
Yet more ; so public doth my Pilgrim walk, 
That of him thousands daily sing and talk. 

If you draw nearer home, it will appear. 
My Pilgrim knows no ground of shame or fear : 
City and country both will entertain. 
With welcome. Pilgrim ; yea, they can't refrain 
From smiling, if my Pilgrim be but by, 
Or shows his head in any company. 

Brave gallants do my Pilgrim hug and love, 
Esteem it much ; yea, value it above 
Things of a greater bulk ; yea, with delight 
Say, my lark's leg is better than a kite. 

Young ladies, and young gentlemen too, 
Do no small kindness to my pilgrim show : 
Their cabinets, their bosoms, and their hearts, 
My Pilgrim has, 'cause he to them imparts 
His pretty riddles, in such wholesome strains, 
As yields them profit double to their pains 
Of reading ; yea, I think I may be bold 
To say, some prize him far above their gold. 

The very children that do walk the street. 
If they do but my holy pilgrim meet. 
Salute him will ; will wish him well, and say, 
He is the only stripling of the day. 

They that have never seen him, yet admire 
What they have heard of him and much desire 
To have his company, and hear him tell 
Those pilgrim stories which he knows so well. 

Yea, some that did not love him at the first, 
But call'd him fool and noddy, say they must. 
Now they have seen and heard him, him commend : 
And to those whom they love, they do him send. 

Wherefore, my Second Part, thou need'st not be 
Afraid to show thy head : none can hurt thee, 
That wish but well to him that went before ; 
Xause thou com'st after with a second store 



256 PREFACE TO THE SECOND PART. 

Of things as good, as rich, as profitable, 
For young, for old, for stagg'ring, and for stable. 

OBJECTION III. 

But Sonne there be that say, he laughs too loud ; 
And some do say, his head is in a cloud. 
Some say, his words and stories are so dark. 
They know not how by them to find his mark. 

ANSWER. 

One may (I think) say, both his laughs and cries 
May well be guess'd at by his wat*ry eyes. 
Some things are of that nature as to make 
One's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache ; 
When Jacob saw his Rachel with the sheep. 
He did at the same time both kiss and weep. 

Whereas some say, A cloud is in his head, 
That doth but show his wisdom's covered 
With his own mantle ; and to stir the mind 
To search well after what it fain would find. 
Things that seem to be hid in words obscure. 
Do but the godly mind the more allure, 
To study what those sayings should contain, 
That speak to us in such a cloudy strain. 

I also know, a dark similitude 
Will on the curious fancy more intrude. 
And will stick faster in the heart and head, 
Than things from similes not borrowed. 

Wherefore, my Book, let no discouragement 
Hinder thy travels : behold ! thou art sent 
To friends, not foes ; to friends that will give place 
To thee, thy Pilgrims, and thy words embrace. 

Besides, v/hat my first Pilgrim left conceal'd, 
Thou, my brave second Pilgrim hast reveal'd 
What Christian left lock'd up, and went his way, 
Sweet Christiana opens with her key. 

OBJECTION IV. 

But some love not the method of your first : 
Romance they count it, throw't away as dust. 
If I should meet with such, v/hat should I say ? 
Must I slight them as they slight me, or nay ? 

ANSWER. 

My Christiana, if with such thou meet, 
By all means, in all loving wise, them greet ; 
Render them not reviling for revile ; 
But if they frown, I pr'ythee on them smile : 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND PART. 257 

JPerhaps 'tis nature, or some ill report, 
Has made them thus despise, or thus retort. 

Some love no fish, some love no cheese ; and some 
Love not their friends, nor their own house or home ; 
Some start at pig, slight chicken, love not fowl, 
More than they love a cuckow or an owl. 
Leave such, my Christiana, to their choice. 
And seek those, who to find they will rejoice : 
By no means strive, but in most humble wise, 
Present thee to them in thy Pilgrim's guise. 

Go then, my little Book, and show to all 
That entertain, and bid thee welcome shall, 
What thou shalt keep close shut up from the rest : 
And wish tliat thou shalt show them may be blcss'd 
To them for good, and make them choose to be 
Pilgrims by better far than thee and me. 
Go, then, 1 say, tell all men who thou art ; 
Say, I am Christiana, and my part 
Is now, with my four sons, to tell you what 
It is for men to take a Pilgrim's lot. 

Go, also, tell them who and what they be 
That now do go on pilgrimage with thee ; 
Say, Here's my neighbour Mercy ; she is one: 
That has long time with me a Pilgrim gone; 
Come, see her in her virgin face, and learn 
'Twixt idle ones and Pilgrims to discern. 
Yea, let young damsels learn of her to prize 
The world which is to come, in any wise. 
When little tripping maidens follow God, 
And leave old doating sinners to his rod, 
'Tis like those days, wherein the young ones cry^d 
Hosanna ! when the old ones did deride. 

Next, tell them of old Honest, whom you found, 
With his white hairs, treading the Pilgrim's ground 5 
Yea, tell them how plain-hearted this man was ; 
How after his good Lord he bare the cross. 
Perhaps with some grey head this may prevail 
With Christ to fall in love, and sin bewail. 

Tell them also, how Mr. Fearing went 
On pilgrimage ; and how the time he spent 
In solitarmess, with fears and cries ; 
And how, at last, he won the joyful prize. 
He was a good man, though much down in spirit < 
He is a good man, and doth life inherits 

33 



B58 PllEFACE TO THE SECOND FART. 

Tell them of Mr. Feeble-mind also, 
Who not before, but still behind would go : 
Show them also, how he'd like t' have been slain, 
And how one Great-heart did his life regain. 
This man was true of heart, though weak in grace ; 
One might true godliness read in his face. 

Then tell them of Mr. Ready-to-halt, 
A man with crutches, but much without fault : 
Tell them how Mr. Feeble-mind and he 
Did love, and in opinion much agree ; 
And let all know, though weakness was their chance, 
Yet sometimes one would sing, the other dance. 

Forget not Mr. Valiant-for-the-truth, 
That man of courage, though a very youth. 
Tell ever}' one his spirit was so stout, 
No one could ever make him face about ; 
And how Great-heart and he could not forbear,' 
But put down Doubting Castle ; slew Despair I 

Overlook not Mr. Despondency, 
Nor Much-afraid, his daughter, though they lie 
Under such mantles, as may make them look 
(With some) as if their God had them forsook. 
They softly went, but sure ; and, at the end, 
Found that the Lord of Pilgrims was their friend. 

When thou hast told the world of all these things. 
Then turn about, my Book, and touch these strings f 
Which, if but touched, will such music make. 
They'll make a cripple dance, a giant quake. 

Those riddles that Ire couch'd within thy breast,- 
Freely propound, expound, and for the rest 
Of my mysterious lines, let them remain 
For those whose nimble fancies shall them gain^ 

Now may this little Book a blessing be 
To those who love this little Book and me ; 
And may its buyer have no cause to say. 
His money is but lost, or thrown away. 
Yea, may this Second Pilgrim yield that fruit 
As may v/ith each good Pilgrim's fancy suit, 
And may it some persuade that go astray. 
To turn their feet and heart to the right way, 

Is the hearty prayer of the Authof-, 
JOHN BUJXYAN, 



THE 



PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. 



PART. 11. 



CHAPTER I. 

CHRISTIANA WITH HER FOUR SONS, AND A NEIGHBOUR, 
SET OUT ON PILGRIMAGE. 

COURTEOUS €o:mpanions, 

Some time since, to tell you a dream that I had of 
Christian the pilgrim,* and of his dangerous journey 
towards the celestial country, was pleasant to me and 
profitable to you. I told you tlien also what I saw 
concerning his wife and children, and how unwilling 
they were to go with him on pilgrimage ; insomuch 
that he was forced to go on his progress without them ; 
for he durst not run the danger of that destruction, 
which he feared would come by staying with them in 



* Though the second part of the Pilgrim's Progress will not strike the 
reader with the novelty of the first, because the same scenes are repeated ; 
yet they are presented with such agreeable variations, as make it an equal 
source of profit and delight. The author explains, in this part, what was 
left more dark in the first, as he tells us in his Preface. On this account 
the Explanatory Notes will be brief on those parts already noticed, while 
the newer matter will be more largely improved. The second part is pecu- 
liarly adapted to direct and encourage female Cliristlans, and young per- 
sons ; and it is hoped, will be particularly attended to by such. It is per- 
liaps needless to remark, that no reasonable doubt can be entertained as to 
the authenticity of this work : Mr. Bunyan cannot be imitated ; and the 
sweet simplicity that characterizes the first part, is equally obvious in the 
second. 



260 sagacity's account of the city destruction. 

the citv of Destruction : wherefore, as I then showed 
you, he left them, and departed. 

Now it hath so happened, through the multiphcity 
of business, that I have been much hindered and kept 
back from my \vonted travels into those parts where he 
went, and so could not, till now, obtain an opportunity 
to make further inquiry after whom he left behind, that 
I m.ight give you an account of them. But, having 
h id some concerns that way of late, I went down again 
thitherward. Now having taken up my lodging in a 
'wood, about a mile off the place, as I slept I dreamed 
again. 

And, as I w^as in my dream, behold an aged gentle- 
man came by w^here I lay ; and because he was to go 
some part of the way that I was travelling, methought 
I got up and went with him. So, as we walked, and 
as travellers usually do, I was as if we fell into a dis» 
course, and our talk happened to be about Christian 
and his travels : for thus I began with the old man : 

Sir, said I, What town is that there below, that lieth 
on the left hand of our wav ? 

Then said Mr. Sagacity, (for that was his name,) It 
is the city of Destruction, a populous place, but pos- 
sessed with a very ill-conditioned and idle sort of peo- 
ple. 

I thought that was that city, quoth I ; I w^ent once 
myself through that town ; and therefore I know that 
this report you give of it is true. 

Sag. Too true! I wish I could speak truth in 
speaking better of them that dwell therein. 

Well, Sir, quoth I, then I perceive you to be a well- 
meaning man, and so one that takes pleasure to hear 
and tell of that which is good : pray did you never 
hear what happened to a vaiin some time ago in this 
town (whose name was Christian,) that went on a piU 
grimage up to\vards the higher regions ? 



llErORTS CIRCULATED CONCERNING CHRISTIAN. 261 

Sag. Hear of him ! Ay, and I also heard of the 
molestations, troubles, wars, captivities, cries, groans, 
frights, and fears, that he met with and had on his 
journey. Besides, I must tell you, all our country 
rings of him; there are but few houses, that have 
heard of him and his doings, but have sought after 
and got the records of his pilgrimage : yea, I think I 
may say, that this hazardous journey has got many 
well-wishers to his ways ; for, though when he was 
here, he was fool in every man's mouth, yet now he 
is gone he is highly commended of all. For it is said 
he lives bravely where he is ; yea, many of them that 
are resolved never to run his hazards, yet have their 
mouths water at his srains.* 

They may, quoth I, well think, if they think any 
thing that is true, that he liveth well where he is ; for 
he now lives at and in the Fountain of life, and has 
wdiat he has without labour and sorrow, for there is no 
grief mixed therewith. But pray, what talk have the 
people about him. 

Sag. Talk! the people talk strangely about him: 
some say, that he now walks in white \{cl) that he has 
a chain of gold about his neck ; that he has a crown 
of. gold, beset with pearls, upon his head : others say, 
that the shining ones that sometimes showed them- 
selves to him in his journey, are become his compa- 
nions, and that he is as familiar with them in the place 
where he is, as here one neighbour is with another. ((6) 
Besides, it is confidently affirmed concerning him, that 
the King of the place where he is, has bestowed upon 
him already a very rich and pleasant dwelling at court, 
and that he every day eateth, and drinketh, and walk- 



* This is quite natural and very common. The men of this world will 
f:anonize those for saints, when dead, whom they stig-matized with the vilest, 
names when living". O let us leave our characters to Him, who died for our 
."^iuSj and to whom we can commit our souls. 

C^) Rev. iii. 4. vi. 11. (/!>) Zech. iii. 7. 



262 INQUIRIES CONCERNING CHRISTIANAS FAMILY. 

cth, and talketh with him, and receiveth the smiles and 
favours of him that is Judge of all there. Moreover, 
at is expected of some, that his Prince, the Lord of 
that country, will shortly come into these parts, and 
will know the reason, if they can give any, why his 
neighbours set so little by him, and had him so much 
in derision, when they perceived that he would be a 
pilgrim, (t-z) 

^"For they sa}', that now he is so in the affections of 
his Prince, and that his Sovereign is so much concern- 
ed with the indignities that were cast upon Christian, 
when he became a pilgrim, that he will look upon all 
as if done to himself: and no marvel, for it was for 
the love that he had to his Prince, that he ventured as 
he d\d.-\{/)) 

I dare say, quoth I, I am glad of it ; I am glad for 
the poor man's sake, for that now he has rest from his 
labour, (^) and for that he now reaps the benefits of his 
tears with joy ;[d) and for that he has got beyond the 
gun-shot of his enemies, and is out of the reach of 
them that hate him. I also am glad, for that a rumour 
of these things is noised abroad in this country ; who 
can tell but that it may work some good effect on some 
that are left behind ? — ^But pray. Sir, while it is fresh 
in my mind, do you hear any thing of his wife and 
children ? Poor hearts ! I wonder in my mind w4iat 
they do. 

Sag. Who? Christiana and her sons? They arc 
like to do as well as did Christian himself; for, though 
they all played the fool at first, and would by no means 
be persuaded by either the tears or entreaties of Chris- 
tian, yet second thoughts have wrought wonderfully 



* Clirlslian's Iviii^ will take Christian's part. O pilgrim, write this upon 
tlie table of tliiue lieart, and read it ever}' step of thy journey. 

j M;uiC this well. No matter what profession we make, if the love of 
Christ be not its foundation. All is nothinji^ without this love. It is this 
)ove in the heart, that, like oil in the lamp, keeps the profession of Christ 
burning' brig-ht. 

(a) Jude xiv. 15. (^) Lv.ke x. 16. (c) Kev. xiv. 13- {d) Vs. cxxvi. 5, 6. 



HIS WIFE AND CHILBREN BECOME PILGRIM?. 253 

« 

ivith them : so they have packed up, and are also gone 
after him.* 

Better and better, quoth I: but, what I wife and chil- 
dren and all ? 

Sag. It is true: I can give you an account of the 
matter, for I was upon the spot at the instant, and was 
thoroughly acquainted with the w^iole aftair. 

Then, said I, may a man report it for a truth ? 

Sag. You need not fear to affirm it; I mean, that 
they are all gone on pilgrimage, both the good woman 
and her four boys. And being we are, as I perceive, 
going some considerable way together, I will give you 
an account of the whole matter. 

This Christiana (for that was her name from the day 
that she with her children betook themselves to a pil- 
grim's life,) after her husband was gone over the 
river ^{a) and she could hear of him no more, her 
thoughts began to work in her mind. First, for that 
she had lost her husband, and for that tlie loving bond 
of that relation was utterly broken betwixt them. For 
you know, stiid he to me, nature can do no less but 
entertain the living with many a heavy cogitation, in the 
remembrance of the loss of loving relations. This, 
therefore, of her husband, did cost her many a tear. 
But this was not all ; for Christiana did also begin to 
consider with herself, whether her unbecoming beha- 
viour towards her husband was not one cause that she 
saw him no more ; and that in such sort he was taken 
away from her. And upon this came into her mind, 
by swarms, all her unkind, unnatural, and ungodly 
carriage to her dear friend ; which also clogged her 
conscience, and did load her with guilt. She was 
moreover much broken with calling to remembrance 
the restless groans, the brinish tears, and self-bemoan- 



* Though moral persuasions, and all the affectionate arguments from a 
tender husband, or an affectionate parent, may appear to prove ineffectual 
for the present ; yet let us not neglect our duty, but be earnest in it, and 
leave the event to sovereign grace- 

(«) Part I. p. 241—243. 



264 HER ALARMING AND ENCOURAGING DREAMS. 

ing of her husband, and how she did harden her heait 
against all his entreaties, and loving persuasions, of 
her and her sons, to go with him ; yea, there was not 
any thing that Christian either said to her, or did be- 
fore her, all the while that his burden did hang on his 
back, but it returned upon her like a flash of lightning, 
and rent the caul of her heart in sunder ; especially 
that bitter outcry of his, " What shall I do to be 
saved?" did ring in her ears most dolefully. *(£z) 

Then said she to her children, '' Sons, we are all 
undone. I have sinned away your father, and he is 
gone : he would have had us with him, but I would 
not go myself: I also have hindered you of life." 
With that the boys fell into tears, and cried to go after 
their father. *' Oh!" said Christiana, " that it had 
been but our lots to go with him ; then it had fared 
well with us, beyond what it is like to do now. For, 
though I formerly foolishly imagined concerning tlie 
troubles of your father, that they proceeded of a fool- 
ish fancy that he had, or for that he was over-run with 
melancholy humours ; yet now it will not out of my 
mind, but that they sprang from another cause ; to 
wit, for that the light of life was given him ;(b) by the 
help of which, as I perceive, he has escaped the snares 
of death."! Then they wept all again, and cried out, 
^' Oh, woe worth the day !" 

The next night Christiana had a dream; and be- 
hold, she saw as if a broad parchment was opened be- 
fore her, in which were recorded the sum of her 
ways ; and the crimes, as she thought, looked very 
black upon her. Then she cried out aloud in her 



* Here see, what those who cruelly and unkindly treat their godly rela- 
tions and friends on account of their religion, must come to feel, in tlie bit- 
terness of their spirit, and groan under in the sorrow of their soul, if ever 
the Lord grants them repentance unto life. 

t Is it any marvel, that a quickened, enlightened sinner, should be judged 
by those around him, who are yet dead in their sins, to be fidl of whims and 
melancholy ? No t It is very natural for them to think us fools and mad; but 
v/e know that they really are so. 

(a) Part I. p. 49—51, (b) John viii. 12' 



secret's visit and message to CimiSTIANA. 265 

sleep, *' Lord have mercy upon me a sinner :"^(a)-— 
and the Httle children heard her. 

After this, she thought she saw two very ill-favoured 
ones standing by her bed-side, and saying, " What 
shall we do with this woman ? for she cries out for 
mercy waking and sleeping : if she be suffered to go 
on as she begins, we shall lose her as we have lost her 
husband. Wherefore we must, by some way, seek to 
take her off from the thoughts of what shall be hereaf- 
ter, else all the world cannot help but she will become 
a pilgrim." 

Now she awoke in a great sweat ; also a trembling 
was upon her : but after a while she fell to sleeping 
again. And then she thought she saw Christian her 
husband in a place of bliss, among many immortals, 
with an harp in his hand, standing and playing upon it 
before One that sat on a throne, with a rainbow about 
his head. She saw also, as if he bowed his head with 
his face towards the paved work that was under his 
Prince's feet, saying, " I heartily thank my Lord and 
King for bringing me into this place." Then shouted 
a company of them that stood round about, and harped 
with their harps : but no man living could tell what 
they said, but Christian and his companions. 

Next morning, when she was up, had prayed to 
God, and talked with her children awhile, one knocked 
hard at the door; to whom she spake out, saying, *' If 
thou comest in God's name, come in." So he said, 
'' Amen ;" and opened the door, and saluted her with, 
" Peace on this house." The which when he had 
done, he said, " Christiana, k no west thou wherefore I 



* This is the very §fst cry of an awakened sinner, mercy for the lost and 
miserable : and no sooner are the sinner's eyes opened to see his ruined, 
desperate state, and to cry for mercy, but the god of this world, who hi- 
therto had blinded the eyes, and kept the heart secure by presumption, 
now opposes the sinner's progress to a throne of grace, to a God of mercy, 
and to the Saviour of the lost. Satan does not easily part with his prey. 
Bnt Jesus the strong- man armed with almighty power and everlasting lovci 
will conquer and cast him out. 

{a) Luke xviii. lo-. 

34 



266 HE GIVES HER A LETTER FROM THE KING. 

am come ?" Then she blushed and trembled ; also her 
heart began to wax warm with desires to know from 
whence he came, and what his errand was to her. So 
he said unto her, " My name is Secret ;* I dwell with 
those that are high. It is talked of, where I dwell, as 
if thou hadst a desire to go thither : also there is a re- 
port, that thou art aware of the evil thou hast formerly 
done to thy husband, in hardening of thy heart against 
his way, and in keeping of these babes in their igno- 
rance. Christiana, the Merciful One has sent me to 
tell thee, that he is a God ready to forgive, and that he 
taketh delight to multiply the pardon of offences. He 
also would have thee to know, that he inviteth thee to 
come into his presence, to his table, and that he will 
feed thee with the fat of his house, and with the herit- 
age of Jacob thy father. 

" There is Christian, thy husband that was, with le- 
gions more, his companions, ever beholding that face 
that doth minister life to the beholders : and thej will 
all be glad, when they shall hear the sound of thy feet 
step over thy father's threshold." 

Christiana at this was greatly abashed in herself, and 
bowed her head to the ground. This Vision proceed- 
ed, and said, " Christiana, here is also a letter for thee, 
which I have brought from thy husband's King;" so 
she took it and opened it, but it smelt after the manner 
of the best perfume. (a) Also it was written in letters 
of gold. The contents of the letter were these : '' that 
the King would have her do as did Christian her hus- 
band ; for that was the only way to come to his city, and 
to dwell in his presence with joy for ever." At this 
the good woman was quite overcome : so she cried 
out to her visitor, *' Sir, will you carry me and my 



* " The fear of the Lord is the beginning' of wisdom," Psalm cxi. 10. 
and "The secrtt of the Lord is with them who fear him," Psalm xxv. 14. 
The Spirit, the Comforter, never convinces the soul of sin, but he also re- 
vives and comforis the sincere heart with glad tidings of tree and full par- 
don of sin, through the blood of the LAMB. 



(rt) Sol. Songs i. 3. 



Christiana's discourse to fter sons. 267 

cliildren with you, that we may also go and worship 
the King?" 

Then said the visitor, " Christiana, the htter is be- 
fore the sweet. Thou must through troubles, as he 
did that went before thee, enter this celestial city. 
Wherefore I advise thee to do as did Christian thy 
husband : go to the Wicket- gate yonder over the 
plain ; for that stands in the head of the way up which 
thou must go, and I wish thee all good speed. Also 
I advise thee that thou put this letter in thy bosom : 
that thou read therein to thyself, and to thy children, 
until they have got it by heart ; for it is one of the 
songs that thou must sing while thou art in this house 
of thy pilgrimage :(a) also this thou must deliver in at 
the far gate."* 

Now I saw in my dream, that this old gentleman, as 
he told me this story, did himself seem to be greatly 
aftected therewith. He moreover proceeded, and said, 
So Christiana called her sons together, and began thus 
to address herself unto them : " My sons, I have as 
you may perceive, been of late under much exercise 
in my soul about the death of your father ; not for that 
I doubt at all of his happiness ; for I am satisfied now 
that he is well. I have been also much affected with 
the thoughts of mine own estate and yours, which 
I verily believe is by nature miserable. My carriage 
also to vour father in his distress is a srreat load to mv 
conscience : for I hardened both my heart and yours 
against him, and refused to go with him on pilgrimage. 



* Says our Lord, " When the Spirit is come, he shall testify of me — he 
shall lead you into all truth — he shall show you things to come." All tliis 
the convinced sinner finds true in experience. x\s the Spirit testifies of 
Clirist, so he leads tlie soul to Christ, that he may be the sinner's only 
hope, salvation, and streng-th. Thus he glorifies Christ. 

(a) Psal. cxix. 54. 



268 CHRISTIANA IS VISITED BY TWO NEIGHBOURS ; 

*' The thoughts of these thhigs would now kill me 
outright, but for that a dream which I had last night, 
and but that for the encouragement this stranger has 
given me this morning. Come, my children, let us pack 
up, and be gone to the gate that leads us to that celes- 
tial country, that we may see your father, and be with 
him and his companions in peace, according to the 
laws of that land." 

Then did her children burst out into tears, for joy 
that the heart of their mother was so inclined. So the 
visitor bid them farewell : and they began to prepare to 
set out for their journey. 

But, while they were thus about to be gone, two of 
the women that were Christiana's neighbours came up 
to her house, and knocked at her door. To whom she 
said as before. At this the women were stunned ; for 
this kind of language they used not to hear, or to per- 
ceive to drop from the lips of Christiana.^ Yet they 
came in : but, behold, they found the good woman 
preparing to be gone from her house. 

So they began, and said, ** Neighbour, pray, what 
is your meaning by this?" 

Christiana answered, and said to the eldest of them, 
wdiose name was Mrs. Timorous, *' I am preparing 
for a journey." (This Timorous was daughter to him 
that met Christian upon the hill of Difficulty, and would 
have had him gone back for fear of the lions. )(fl!) 

Tim. For what journey, I pray you ? 



* Reader, stop and examine ; did ever any of your former friends and 
carnal acquaintance take knowledg^e of a difference in your language and 
conduct ? Do they stiil approve of you as well as ever ? What reason, tin n, 
have you to think yourself a pilpim ? for no sooner does any one commence 
a pilgrim, but that word is fulfilled, " For then I will turn to the people a 
pure language," Zeph. iii. 9. If the heart be ever so little acquainted with 
the Lord, the tongue will discover it, and the carnal and profane will ridi- 
cule and despise you for it. 

(a) Part I. p. 96. 



TO Wl^OM SHE DECLARES HER INTENTION. 2G9 

Chr. Even to go after my old husband. — And with 
that she fell a weeping. 

Tim. I hope not so, good neighbour; pray, for 
your poor children's sake, do not so unwomanly cast 
away yourself. 

Chr. Nay, my children shall go with me : not one 
of them is willing to stay behind. 

Tim. I wonder in my heart, what or who has 
brought you into this mind ! 

Chr. Oh, neighbour, knew you but as much as I 
do, I doubt not but that you would go along with me. 

Tim. Pr'ythee, what new knowledge hast thou 
got, that so worketh off thy mind from thy friends, and 
that tempteth thee to go nobody kno^vs where ? 

Then Christiana replied, I have been sorely afflicted 
since my husband's departure from me ; but especially 
since he went over the river. But that which trou- 
bleth me most, is my churlish carriage to him, when 
he was under his distress. Besides, I am now as he 
was then ; nothing will serve me, but going on pilgrim- 
age. I was a dreaming last night, that I saw him. Oh 
that my soul was with him ! He dwelleth in the pre- 
sence of the King of the country ; he sits and eats with 
him at his table ; he is become a companion of im- 
mortals, and has a house now given him to dwell in, 
to which the best palaces on earth, if compared, seem 
to me but as a dunghill.((^) The Prince of the palace 
has also sent for me, with promises of entertainment, 
if I shall come to him ; his messenger was here even 
now, and brought me a letter, which invites me to 
come. — And with that she plucked out her letter, and 
read it, and said to them,^" What now will you say to 
this ? 



* This was a letter full of the love of Jesus, and the precious invitation 
of liis loving- heart to all sinners to come unto him, as i-ecordedin his hlcss- 
ed word. Happy sinners, whose eyes are opened to read them : but tijis 
the world calls madness. 

(fl) 2 Cor. V. 1—4- 



270 TIMOROUS ATTEMPTS TO DISSUADE HER FROM IT. 

Tim. Oh the madness that has possessed thee and 
thy husband ! to run yourselves upon such difficuUies ! 
You have heai'd, I am sure, what your husband did 
meet vi^ith, even in a manner, at the first step that he 
took on his way, as our neighbour Obstinate can yet 
testify, for he went along with him ; yea, and Pliable 
too, until they, like wise men, were afraid to go any 
further. (a) We also heard, over and above, how he 
met with the lions, Apollyon, the Shadow of Death, 
and many other things. Nor is the danger that he 
met with at Vanity-Fair, to be forgotten by thee. For 
if he, though a man, was so hard put to it, what canst 
thou, being but a poor woman, do ? Consider also, 
that these four sAveet babes are thy children, thy flesh, 
and thy bones. Therefore, though thou shouldst be 
so rash as to cast away thyself ; yet for the sake of the 
fruit of thy body, keep them at home.* 

But Christiana said unto her. Tempt me not, my 
neighbour : I have now a price put into m.y hand to 
get a gain, and I should be a fool of the greatest sort, 
if I should have no heart to strike in with the oppor- 
tunity. And for that you tell me of all these troubles 
that I am like to meet with in the way, they are so far 
from being to me a discouragement, that they show I 
am in the right. TJie hitter must come before the 
sweety and that also will make the sweet the sweeter. 
Wherefore since you came not to my house in God's 
name, as I said, I pray you be gone, and do not dis- 
quiet me further.! 



* The Lord, who quickens us by his Spirit, and calls us by his word, 
well knows the carnal enemies who will oppose our progress in the divine 
life : therefore he tells us, " If thy brother, or the v ife of thy bosom, or thy 
friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly from the Lord, tliou 
shalt not hearken unto him," &c. Deut. xiii. 6. Let the word of God be 
the rule, and Christiana's conduct an example to all who are setting their 
face Zion-ward. O heware of the reasoning of the flesh. Dread to look 
back. Tremble at the tiiought of going back ; for the Lord hath no plea- 
sure in such, Heb. x. 38. 

% That is riglit. It is well to be bold in the name of the Lord, with those 
who seek to turn us away from following on to know the Lord : for nothing 

(a) Part. I. p. 53—60. 



MERCY INCLINES TO ACCOMPANY HER. 271 

Then Timorous also reviled her, and said to her fel- 
low, " Come, neighbour Mercy, let us leave her in her 
own hands, since she scorns our counsel and company." 
But Mercy was at a stand, and could not so readily 
comply with her neighbour ; and that for a two- fold 
reason — 1st. Her bowels yearned over Christiana. So 
she said within herself, '' If my neighbour will needs 
be gone, I will go a little way with her, and help her." 
— 2dly. Her bowels yearned over her own soul ; for 
what Christiana had said, had taken some hold upon 
her mind. Wherefore she said within herself again, 
*' I will yet have more talk with this Christiana ; and, 
if I find truth and life in what she shall say, myself 
with my heart shall also go with her." Wherefore 
Mercy began thus to reply to her neighbour Timo- 
rous. 

Mer. Neighbour, I did indeed come with you to 
see Christiana this morning ; and, since she is, as you 
see, a taking her last farewell of the country, I think to 
walk this sun- shiny morning a little with her, to help 
her on her way. — But she told her not of her second 
reason, but kept it to herself. 

Tim. Well, I see you have a mind to go a fooling 
too ; but take heed in time, and be wise : while we are 
out of danger, we are out ; but, when we are in, we 
are in. — So Mrs. Timorous returned to her house, and 
Christiana betook herself to her journey.* But, when 
Timorous was got home to her house, she sends for 
some of her neighbours, to wit, Mrs. Bat's-eyes, Mrs. In- 
considerate, Mrs. Light- mind, and Mrs. Know-no- 
thing. So, when they were come to her house, she falls 



less than life and salvation, or death and damnation, will be the issue of it. 
O pilgrims, beware: beware of parleying- with the carnal- Ever remem- 
ber, you have a nature prone to catch the falling spark from their flint and 
steel, and tinder about you ever ready to take the fire. 

* Here we see our Lord's word verified, " The one shall be taken, and 
the other left," Matt, xxiv- 41. jNIercy obeys the call — Timorous pervorse- 
}y rejects it 



272 TIMOROUS, BAT's-EYES, &C. talk of CHRISTIANA. 

to telling of the story of Christiana, and of her intended 
journey. And thus she began her tale — 

Neighbours, having but little to do this morning, I 
went to give Christiana a visit ; and, when I came at 
the door, I knocked, as you know it is our custom : 
and she answered, "If you come in God's name, come 
in." So in I went, thinking all was well : but, when 
I came in, I found her preparing herself to depart the 
town ; she, and also her children. So I asked her, 
what was her meaning by that ? And she told me in 
bhort, that she was now of a mind to go on pilgrimage, 
as did her husband. She told me also a dream that she 
had, and how the King of the country where her 
husband w^is, had sent her an inviting letter to come 
thidier. 

Then said Mrs. Know-nothing, And what, do you 
think she wall go ? 

Tim. Ay, go she will, whatever come on't ; and 
methinks, I know it by this ; for that which was my 
great argument to persuade her to stay at home, (to 
wit, the troubles she was like to meet with in the way,) 
is one great argument with her, to put her forward on 
her journe}'. For she told me in so many w^ords, 
" The hitter goes before the sweet : yea, and forasmuch 
as it doth, it makes the sweet the sw^eeter." 

Mrs. Bat's-eyes. Oh this blind and foolish w^oman ! 
and will she not take warning by her husband's afflic- 
tions ? For my part, I see, if he w^ere here again, he 
would rest him content in a whole skin, and never run 
so m.any hazai'ds for nothing. 

Mrs. Inconsiderate also replied, saying, Away wdth 
such fantastical fools from the town : a good riddance 
for my part, I say of her ; should she stay where she 
dw^ells, and retain this mind, wdio could live quietly by 
her? for she will either be dumpish or unneighbourly^ 
to talk of such matters as no wise body can abide : 
^vherefore, for my part, I shall never be sorry for her 
departure; let her go, and let better come in her room: 



Christiana persuades mercy to go with her. ^75 

it was never a good worid since these whimsical fools 
dwelt in it.* 

Then Mrs. Light- mind added as folio weth : Come, 
put this kind of talk away. I was yesterday at madam 
Wanton's, (a) w^here we were as merry as the maids. 
For who do you think should be there, but I and Mrs* 
Love-the-flesh, and three or four more, with Mrs* 
Lechery, Mrs. Filth, and some others : so there we had 
music and dancing, and what else was meet to fill up 
the pleasure. And, I dare say, my lady hcself is an 
admirable well-bred gentlewoman, and Mr. Lechery is 
as pretty a fellow. 

By this time Christiana was got on her way, and 
Mercy went along with her : so as they went, her chil- 
dren being there also, Christiana began to discourse* 
" And, Mercy," said Christiana, *' I take this as an 
unexpected favour, that thou shouldest set foot out of 
doors with me, to accompany me a little in my way.'* 

Then said young Mercy, (for she was but young,) 
If I thought it would be to purpose to go with you, I 
would never go near the town. 

Well, Mercy, said Christiana, cast in thy lot with 
me; I well know what will be the end of our pilgrim- 
<xge : my husband is where he would not but be for all 
the gold in the Spanish mines. Nor shalt thou be re- 
jected, though thou goest but upon my invitation. 
The King, who hath sent for me and my children, is 
one that delighteth in mercy. Besides, if thou wilt, I 
will hire thee, and thou shalt go along with me as my 
servant. Yet we will have all things in common be« 
t\vixt thee and me : only go along with me.f 



* O how do such carnal wretches sport with their own damnation, while 
they despise the precious truths of God, and ridicule his people ! But, as it 
was in the beg-inninq-, he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who 
was born after the Spirit, so it will be, as long as the seed of the woman 
and the seed of the serpent are upon the earth. 

f Such is the true spirit of all real pilgrims. They wish others to know 
Christ, and to become followers of him with themselves. O how happy are, 

(o) Part I. p. 133. 
3^ 



274 MERCY GRIEVES FOR HER CARNAL RELATIONS^ 

Mer. But how shall I be ascertained that I also 
shall be entertained ? Had I this hope from one that 
can tell, I would make no stick at all, but would go, 
being helped by him that can help, though the way was 
never so tedious.* 

Chr. Well, loving Mercy, I will tell thee what thou 
shalt do : go with me to the Wicket- gate, and there I 
will further inquire for thee ; and, if there thou shalt 
not meet with encouragement, I will be content that 
thou shalt return to thy place ; I also will pay thee for 
thy kindness which thou showest to me and my chil- 
dren, in the accompanying of us on our way as thou 
dost. 

Mer. Then will I go thither, and will take what 
shall follow : and the Lord grant that my lot may 
ttere fall, even as the King of heaven shall have his 
heart upon me.f 

Christiana was then glad at heart ; not only that 
she had a companion ; but also for that she had pre- 
vailed with this poor maid to fall in love with her own 
salvation. So they went on together, and Mercy began 
to weep. Then said Christiana, " Wherefore weepeth 
my sister so ?" 

Alas ! said she, who can but lament, that shall but 
rightly consider what a state and condition my poor re- 
lations are in, that yet remain in our sinful town ? and 
that which makes mv irrief the more is, because they 



tliey, when the Lord is pleased to draw the hearts of any of their fellow- 
sinners to himself. 

* Though Christiana clearly saw and knew her callhig- of God, yet INIer- 
cy did not; therefore she is in doubt about it. Just so it is with many at 
their first setting out. Hence they are ready to say, that they could ev^en 
wish to have had the most violent convictions of sin, and to have been as it 
were, shook over the mouth of hell, that they might have had a greater 
certainty of tlieir being called of God. Biit this is speaking- unadvisedly. 
Better to take the apostle's advice ; " Give all dilig-ence lo make your call- 
ing sure.'* 

I Here is a blessed discovery of a heart divinely instructed. Mind, here 
is no looking to any thing Mercy was in herself, nor to any thing she could 
do for herself, but all is resolved into this, all is cast upon this, even the 
love of the heart of the Knig of heaven. Reader, can }ou be content with 
this lot ? Can you cast all, and rest all, u])on the love of Christ ? Then bless 
his loving name for giving you a pilgrim's heart. 



Christiana's remark. 275 

have no instruction, nor any to tell them what is to 
come.* 

Chr. Bowels become pilgrims: and thou doest for 
thy friends, as my good Christian did for me when he 
left me ; he mourned for that I would not heed nor re- 
gard him ; but his Lord and ours did gather up his 
tears, and put them into his bottle ; and now both 
I and thou, and these my sweet babes, are reaping the 
fruit and benefit of them. I hope, Mercy, that these 
tears of thine will not be lost ; for the Truth hath said, 
that '' they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy" and 
singing. And he that goeth forth and weepeth, bear- 
ing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with re- 
joicing, bringing his sheaves with him."(c) 

Then said Mercy, 

" Let the most Blessed be my guidcj 

If 't be his blessed will, 
Unto his gate, into his fold, 

Up to his holy hill : 

And let him never suffer me 

To swerve or turn aside 
From his free grace and holy ways^ 

Whate'er shall me betide. 

And let him gather them of mine, 

That I have left behind ; 
Lord, make them pray they may be thine, 

With all their heart and mind." 



* This is natural ; when we know the worth of our souls, and the value 
»f Clirist's salvation, and weep for our sins, also to mourn and weep for 
our carnal relatives, lest they should be eternally lost. 

(a) Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6. 



27# THF^y PASS THE SLOUGH SAFELY, 



CHAPTER 11. 

CHRISTIANA, MERCY, AND THE CHILDREN, PASS THJi: 
SLOUGH WITH SAFETY, AND ARE KIIN'DLY RECEIVED 
AT THE WICKET- GATE. 

!NOW my old friend proceeded and said, — But, 
when Christiana came to the slough of Despond, (a) 
she began to be at a stand ; " For," said she, " this is 
the place in which my dear husband had like to have 
been smothered with mud." She perceived also, that, 
notwithstanding the command of the King to make 
this place for pilgrims good, yet it was rather worse 
than formerly. So I asked if that was true ? Yes, said 
the old gentleman, too true : for many there be, that 
pretend to be the King's labourers, and say they are for 
mending the King's highways, that bring dirt and dung 
instead of stones, and so mar, instead of mending.^ 
Here Christiana therefore, and her boys, did make 
a stand : but said Mercy, " Come, let us venture ; 
only let us be wary." Then they looked well to their 
steps, and made a shift to get staggering over. 

Yet Christiana had like to have been in, and that 
not once or twice. Now they had no sooner got over, 
but they thought they heard words that said unto them» 
^' Blessed is she that belie veth, for there shall be a 
performance of what has been told her from the 
Lord."(^) 



* But instead of being- what they profess, the King's labourers, Paul 
calls them g-ospel-perverters, and soul-troublers. Gal. v. 10. For instead of 
preaching a free and full salvation, graciously bestowed upon poor sinners, 
who can do nothing to entitle themselves to it, or to gain an interest in it ; 
behold, these wretched daubers set forth salvation to sale upon certain terms 
and conditions, which sinners are to perform and fulfil. Thus they distress 
the upright and sincere, and deceive the self-righteous and unwary into 
pride and delusion. Thus they mar, instead of mend the way ; awd bring 
dirt and dung, instead of stones, to make the way sound and safe for piii 
glims. Beware of the sophistry of such preachers. 

(«) Part I. p. 57, 5d. (h) Luke i 4-5^ 



AND ARRIVE AT THE WICKET- GATE.. 27? 

Then they went on again ; and said Mercy to Cliris- 
tiana, Had I as good ground to hope for a loving re- 
ception at the Wicket- gate, as you, I think no slough 
of Despond could discourage me. 

Well, said the other, you know your sore, and I 
know mine ; and, good friend, we shall all have enough 
evil before we come to our journey's end. For it can- 
not be imagined, that the people that design to attain 
such excellent glories as we do, and that are so envied 
that happiness as we are, but that we shall meet with 
what fears and snares, with what troubles and afflictions, 
they can possibly assault us with that hate us. 

And now Mr. Sagacity left me to dream out my 
dream by myself. Wherefore, methought I saw 
Christiana, and Mercy, and the boys, go all of them 
up to the gate : to which when they came they betook 
themselves to a short debate, about how they must 
manage their calling at the gate : and what should be 
said unto him that did open unto them : so it was con- 
cluded, since Christiana was the eldest, that she should 
knock for entrance, and, that she should speak to him 
that did open for the rest. So Christiana began to 
knock, and, as her poor husband did, she knocked and 
knocked again. («) But instead of any that answered, 
they all thought that they heard as if a dog came bark- 
ing upon them ; a dog, and a great one too ; and this 
made the women and children afraid. Nor durst they 
for a while to knock any more, for fear the mastiff 
should fly upon them. Now therefore they were 
greatly tumbled up and down in their minds, and knew 
not what to do : knock they durst not, for fear of the 
dog ; go back they durst not, for fear the keeper of that 
gate should espy them as they so went, and be offended 
with them : at last they thought of knocking again, and 
knocking more vehemently than they did at first. 



(«) Part I. p. 71, 72, 



278 MERCY LEFT WITHOUT, WHILE THE OTHERS ExNTER. 

Then said the keeper of the gate, " Who is there V* 
So the dog left off to bark, and he opened unto them.^ 

Then Christiana made low obeisance, and said, Let 
not our Lord be offended with his hand-maidens, for 
that we have knocked at his princely gate." Then 
said the keeper, ** Whence come ye ? And what is it 
that you would have ? 

Christiana answered. We are come from whence 
Christian did come, and upon the same errand as he ; 
to wit, to be, if it shall please you graciously admitted, 
by this gate, into the way that leads unto the Celestial 
city. And I answer, my Lord, in the next place, that 
I am Christiana, once the wife of Christian, that now 
is gotten above. 

\Vith that the keeper of the gate did marvel, saying, 
^' What, is she now become a pilgrim, that but a while 
ago abhorred that life V Then she bowed her head, 
and said, " Yea ; and so are these my sweet babes 
also." 

Then he took her by the hand, and let her in, and 
said also, " Suffer the little children to come unto me ;'^ 
and with that he shut up the gate. This done, he 
called to a trumpeter that was above, over the gate, to 
entertain Christiana with shouting, and sound of trum- 
pet, for joy. So he obeyed, and sounded, and filled 
the air with his melodious notes. 

Now all this while poor Mercy did stand without, 
trembling and crying for fear that she was rejected. 
But when Christiana had gotten admittance for herself 
and her boys, then she began to make intercession for 
Mercv. 



* No sooner does a poor sinner open his lips in prayer to Jesus, but the 
devil will bark and roar at him, and by all means try to terrify and discou- 
rage him. Do you find this ? What is your remedy ? Resist the devil, and 
he will fly from you, James iv. 7. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh 
to you, James iv. 8. O ever remember oui' Lord's word, men should pray 
always, and not faint, Luke xviii. 1. 



MERCY FALLS DOWN IN A SWOON. 279 

And she said, My Lord, I have a companion of niinb 
fkit stands yetnvithoiit, that is come hither upon the 
same account as myself : one that is much dejected in 
her mind, for that she comes, as she thinks, without 
sending for : whereas I was sent to by my husband's 
King to come. 

Now Mercy began to be very impatient, and each 
minute was as long to her as an hour ; wherefore she 
prevented Christiana from a fuller interceding for her, 
by knocking at the gate herself. And she knocked 
then so loud, that she made Christiana to start. Then 
said the keeper of the gate, " Who is there ?" And 
Christiana said, '* It is my friend." 

So he opened the gate and looked out, but Mercy 
was flillen down without in a swoon ; for she fainted^ 
and was afraid that no gate would be opened to lier. 

Then he took her by the hand^ and, said, " Damsel^ 
I bid thee arise." 

" O sir," said she, ^' I am faint ; there is scarce life 
left in me." But he answered, that one said, '' When 
my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord^ 
and my prayer came unto thee, into thy holy tem^- 
ple."(a) Fear not, but stand upon thy feet, and tell 
me wherefore thou art come. 

Mer. I am come for that unto which I was never 
Invited, as my friend Christiana was. Hers was from 
the King, and mine was but from her. Wherefore I 
presume.* 



* Mercy's case is not singular. Many have set out just as she did, and 
have been discourag-ed by the same reason as she was. She, as many have 
been, was encouraged to set out in tlie ways of the Lord, by her neighbour 
and friend. Hence she thought tliere was no cause to conckide that she 
was called by the Lord, but that it was only the efl'ect of human power, or 
jnoral persuasion, and therefore doubted and fainted lest she should not 
meet with acceptance. But her very doubts, fears and distress proved th« 
earnestness of her heart, and the desire of her soul after the Saviour ; 
and also, that his mercy, love, and gracious power, had a hand in the 
work. Mark this, ye poor, doubting, fearing, trembling sov.Is, who are 
halting every step, and fearing you have not set out aright, hear what 
Christ's angel said, and be not discouraged. Fear not, for ye seek Jesus^, 
Matt, xxviii 5. 

(ft) Jonah ii- *^. 



280 GOOD- WILL LEADS MERCY IIN'. 

Good- WILL. Did she desire diee to come vvidi hef 
to this place ? ♦ 

Mer. Yes; and, as my Lord sees, I am come: 
and if there is any grace and forgiveness of sins to 
spare, I beseech that thy poor handmaid may be par- 
taker thereof. 

Then he took her again by the hand, and led -her 
gently in, and said, " 1 pray for all them that believe 
on me, by what means soever they come unto me." 
Then said he to those that stood by, ** Fetch something, 
and give it Mercy to smell on, thereby to stay her 
faintings." So they fetched her a bundle of myrrh, 
A while after she was revived. 

And now was Christiana, and her boys, and Mercy, 
received of the Lord at the head of the way, and spoke 
kindly unto by him. Then said they yet further unto 
him, " We are sorry for our sins, and beg of our 
Lord his pardon, and further information w^hat ^ve 
must do.'' 

I grant pardon, said he, by word and deed; by word, 
in the promise of forgiveness ; by deed, in the Vv'ay I 
obtained it. Take the first from my lips with a kiss, 
and the other as it shall be revealed. («) 

Now I savv^ in my dream, that he spake many good 
words unto them, whereby they were greatly glad- 
dened. He also had them up to the top of the gate^ 
and showed them by what deed they were saved ; and 
told them withal, that that sight they \'^^ould ha\e again 
as they went along in the way, to their comfort. 

So he left them aw^hile in a summer parlour below, 
where they entered into talk by themselves : and thus 
Christiana began : *' O Lord, how glad am I that we 
are got in hither!" 

Mer. So you well may : but I of all have cause to 
leap for joy. 

Chr. I thought one time as I stood at the gate, (be^ 
cause I had knocked and none did answer,) that all our 

(rt.) Sol Songs i. 2, John xx. X9« 



THE PILGRIMS CONVERSE TOGETHER. 28). 

lubour had been lost, especially when that ugly cur 
made such a heavy barking at us.^" 

Mer. But my worst fear was, after I saw that you 
was taken into his favour, and that I was left behindo 
Now, thought I, it is fulfilled which is written, " Two 
women shall be grinding together, the one shall be 
taken, and the other left."(«) I had much ado to for- 
bear crying out, Undone ! And afraid I was to knock 
any more : but, when I looked tip to what was written 
over the gate,(^) I took courage. I also thought, that 
I must either knock again or die :f so I knocked, but 
I cannot tell how ; for my spirit now struggled be- 
tween life and death. 

Chr. Can you not tdl how you knocked? I tim 
sure your knocks were so earnest, that tlie very sound 
made me start : I thought I never heard such knock- 
ing in all my life ; I thought you would come in by a 
violent hand, or take the kingdom by storm. (c) 

MeRo Alas, lo be in my case 1 who that so was, 
could but have done so ? You saw that the door was 
shut upon me, and that there was a most cruel dog 
thereabout. Who, I say, that was so faint-hearted as 
I, would not have knocked with all their might ? — But 
pray, what said my Lord unto my rudeness ? Was he 
not angry \vith me ? 

Chr. When he heard your lumbering noise, he 
gave a wonderful innocent smile : I believe what you 
did pleased him well, for he showed no sign to the 
contrary. But I marvel in my heart why he keeps 
such a dog : had I known that before, I should not 
have had heart enough to have ventured myself in this 



* The devil often barks most at us, and brings his heaviest accusations 
against us, wlien merc}, peace, comfort, and salvation are liearest to us. 
" Press on, nor fear lo win the day, 
" Thouo-h earth and liell obstruct the way." 
f Here is a blessed example of deep humility, and of holy boldness, ex* 
cited by the divine word. Go, thou ruined sinner, and do likewise. 

(rt) Mat. xsiV: 41. (h) Part I. p. 7L (c) Matt- xi> 1'2 



^82 ivIERCY ASKS G001>AV1LL ABOUT THE DOG. 

manner. But now we are in, we are in, and J am 
glad with all my heart. 

Mer. I will ask, if you please, next time he comes 
down, why he keeps such a filthy cur in his yard : I 
hope he will not take it amiss. 

Do so, said the children, and persuade him to 
hang him ; for we are afraid he will bite us when wc 
go hence. 

So at last he came down to them again, and Mercy 
fell to the ground on her face before him, and wor- 
shipped, and said, *' Let my Lord accept the sacrifice 
of praise which I now offer unto him with the calves 
of my lips." 

So he said unto her, ** Peace be to thee ; stand up.'* 
But she continued upon her face, and said, " Righ-* 
teous art thou, O Lord, when I plead w^ith thee, yet 
let me talk with thee of thy judgments ;"(c5) wherefore 
dost thou keep so cruel a dog in thy yard, at the sight 
of which, such women and children as we, are ready 
to flee from the gate wiih fear ? 

He answered and said. That dog has another owner : 
he is also kept close in another man's ground, only my 
pilgrims hear his barking : he belongs to the castle 
which you see there at a distance,(/5) but can come up 
to the avails of this place. He has frighted many an 
honest pilgrim from worse to better, by the great voice 
of his roaring. Indeed, he that owneth him doth not 
keep him out of any good-will to me or mine, but 
with intent to keep the pilgrims from coming to 
me, and that they may be afraid to come and knock at 
this gate for entrance. Sometimes also he has broken 
out, and has worried some that I loved ; but I take all 
at present patiently. I also give my pilgrims timely 
help, so that they are not delivered up to his power, to 
do to them what his doggish nature would prompt him 
to. But what ! my purchased one, I trow, hadst thou 
known never so much before-hand, thou wouldest not 



(fl) Jcr. xii. 1, 2. {b) Part L p- M. 



THEY GO ON THEIR WAY REJOICING. 283 

have been afraid of a dog. The beggars diat go from 
door to door, will, rather than they will lose a supposed 
alms, run the hazard of the bawling, barking, and 
biting too of a dog : and shall a dog in another man's 
yard ; a dog whose barking I turn to the profit of pil» 
grims, keep any from coming to me ? I deliver them 
from the lions, and, '* my darling from the power of 
the dog." 

- Then said Mercy, I confess my ignorance : I speak 
what I understand not : I acknowledge that thou doest 
all things well. 

Then Christiana began to talk of their journey, and 
to inquire after the way. (a) So he fed them and 
washed their feet, and set them in the way of his 
steps, according as he had dealt with her husband be- 
fore. 

So I saw in my dream that they went on their way ; 
and the weather was comfortable to them. 

Then Christiana began to sing, saying, 

*' Bless'd be the day that I began 

A pilgrim for to be ; 
And blessed also be that man 

That thereunto mov'd me. 

'Tis true, 'twas long ere I began 

To seek to live for ever :(6) 
But now I run fust as I can ; 

'Tis better late than never. 

Our tears to joij^ our fears to faithj 

Are turned, as we see ; 
That our beginning, (as one saith) 

Shows what our end will be." 



{a) Part I. p. 74. {b) Matt, xj£. 1^. 



284 THE CHILDREN" EAT THE EAEMY's FRUITc 



CHAPTER III. 

IfHE PILGRIMS ARE ASSAULTED, BUT RELIEVED. ARE 

ENTERTAINED AT THE INTERPRETER'S HOUSE. 

^ OW there was on the other side of the wall, that 
fenced in the way up which Christiana and her com- 
panions were tp go, a garden, and that belonged to 
him, whose was that barking dog, of wiiom mention 
was made before. And some of the fruit-trees that 
grew in the garden, shot their branches over the wall 5 
and being mellow, they that found them did gather 
them up, and eat of them to their hurt. So Christi- 
ana's boys, (as boys are apt to do,) being pleased with 
the trees, and with the fruit that did hang thereon, did 
pluck them and began to eat. Their mother did also 
chide them for so doing, but still the boys went on.^ 
" Well," said she, "my sons, you transgress ; for 
that fruit is none of ours :" but she did not know that 
they did belong to the enemy : I'll warrant you, if she 
had, she would have been readv to die for fear. But 
that passed, and they went on their way. — Now, by 
that they were gone about two bow's-shot from the 
place that led them into the way, they espied two very 
ill-favoured ones coming down apace to meet them.f 
With that Christiana and Mercy her friend covered 
themselves with their veils, and kept also on their 
journey : the children also w^ent on before : so that at 
last they met together. Then they that came down to 
meet them, came just up to the women, as if they 



* What is this garden, but the world ? What is the fruit they here 
found ? The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and tlie pride of life^ 
1 John ii. 16. 

f What are these ill-favoured ones ? Such as you will be sure to meet 
with in your pilgrimage ; some vile lusts, or cursed corruptions, M'hich are 
suited to your carnal nature. These will attack you, strive to prevail ag-ainst 
you, and overcome you- Mind hov/ these pilgrims acted, and follow their, 
examplCo 



THE WOMEN ARE ASSAULTED BY TWO MEN. 285 

would embrace them ; but Christiana said, '' Stand 
back, or go peaceably as you should." Yi^t these two, 
as men that are deaf, regarded not Christiana's words, 
but began to lay hands upon them : at that Christiana 
waxed very wroth, and spurned at them with her feet. 
Mercy also, as well as she could, did what she could to 
shift them. Christiana again said to them, " Stand back 
aiid be gone, for we have no money to lose, being pil- 
grims as you see, and such too as live upon the chai^ity 
of our friends." 

Then said one of the two men. We make no assault 
upon your money, but are come out to tell you, that if 
you will but grant one small request which we shall 
ask, we will make women of you for ever. 

Now Christiana, imagining what they should mean, 
made answer again, " We will neither hear nor regard, 
nor yield to what you shall ask. We are in haste, and 
cannot stay : our business is of life and death." So 
again she and her companions made a fresh essay to go 
past them : but they letted them in their way. 

And they said, we intend no hurt to your lives ; 'tis 
another thing we would have. 

"Ay," cjuoth Christiana, "You would have us body 
and soul, for I know 'tis for that you are come ; but 
we will die rather upon the spot, than to suffer our- 
selves to be brought into such snares as shall hazard 
our wxll- being hereafter." And with that they both 
shrieked out, and cried, Murder ! Murder ! and so 
put themselves under those laws that are provided for 
the protection of women. (a) But the men still made 
their approach upon them, with design to prevail against 
them. They therefore cried out again.* 



* Here we see that the most violent temptation to the greatest evil is not 
in, if resisted and not complied with. Our Lord himself was tempted in 

(a) Deut. xxii. 23—27. *^ 



§85 THEY ARE RESCUED FROM THE RUFFIANS. 

Now they being, as I said, not far from the gate, iTi 
at which they came, their voice was heard from where 
they were thither : wherefore some of the house came 
out, and knowing that it was Christiana's tongue, they 
made haste to her relief. But by that they were got 
within sight of them, the women were in a very great 
scuffle : the children also stood crying by. Then did 
he who came in for their relief call out to the ruffians, 
saying, " What is that thing you do ? Would you 
make my Lord's people to transgress ?" He also at- 
tempted to take them ; but they did make their escape 
over the wall into the garden of the man to whom the 
great dog belonged : so the dog became their protect- 
or. This Reliever then came up to the women, and 
asked them how they did. So they answered, " Wc 
thank thy Prince, pretty well ; only we have been 
somewhat aftrighted : we thank thee also, that thou 
camest in to our help, for otherwise we had been over- 
come." 

So after a few more words, this Reliever said as fol- 
loweth : I marvelled much, when you were entertained 
at the gate above, seeing ye know that ye were but 
weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord for a 
conductor : then might you have avoided these trou- 
bles and dangers : he would have granted you one.* 

Alas ! said Christiana, we were so taken with our 
present blessing, that dangers to come were forgotten 
by us : besides, who could have thought, that so near 
the king's palace, there should have lurked such naugh- 
ty ones ? Indeed it had been well for us, had we asked 



all thing's like as we are, yet without s'n. Therefore, ye followers of him, 
don't be dejected and cast down, though you should be exercised with 
temptations to the blackest crimes, and the most heinous sins. Christ is 
faithful, and he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able ; but 
will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that we may be able to 
bear it, 1 Cor. x. 13. 

* Let this convince us of our backwardness to prayer, and make us at- 
tend to that scripture, " Ye bave not, because ye ask not." James iv- 2- 



IPILGRIMS SHOULD ASK FOR EVERY TniNG NEEDFUL. 287 

our Lord for one ; but, since our Lord knew it would 
be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along- 
with us.* 

Rel. It is not alwaj^s necessary to grant things not 
asked for, lest by so doing they become of little es- 
teem : but, when the want of a thing is felt, it then 
comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that es- 
timate that properly is its due ; and so consequently 
will be hereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a 
conductor, you would not, neither, so have bewailed 
that oversight of yours in not asking for one, as now 
you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, 
and tend to make you more wary.f 

Chr. Shall we go back again to my Lord, and con- 
fess our folly, and ask one ? 

Rel. Your confession of your folly I will present 
him with : to go back again, you need not ; for in all 
places where you shall come you will find no want at 
all ; for at every of my Lord's lodgings, wiiich he has 
prepared for the reception of his pilgrims, there is suffi- 
cient to furnish them against all attempts whatsoever. 
But as I said, " he v/ill be inquired of by them, to do 
it for them."(«) And it is a poor thing that is not 
worth asking for. When he had thus said, he went 
back to his place, and the pilgrims went on their way- 
Then said Mercy, What a sudden blank is here ! I 
made account we had been past all danger, and that 
we should never sorrow more. 

Thy innocency, my sister, said Christiana to Mercy, 
may excuse thee much ; but as for me, my fault is so 



* It is well to ralue present blessings, to be joyful in them, and thankful 
for them ; but it is wrong- to forg-et our danglers, and g-row secure. 

J What loving", wliat precious reasoning' is this ! With what tender af- 
fection does our Lord reprove. See how kindly it works upon a pilg-rim's 
soul. P )or Christiana v/as for going- back to confess her folly, and make 
her request to her Lord. But she is forbidden, and encouraged and com- 
forted to g-o on. O how does our Lord bear, and what pains does lie take 
witli us, poor awkward creatures, who are ever prone to act amiss. Let rt 
ftxov think most lowly of ourselves, and most highly cf him. 

(■«) Ezek- xxxvj, "7. 



288 THEY APPROACH THE INTERPRETER'S HOUSEc 

much tlie greater, for that I saw this danger before t 
came out of the doors, and yet did not provide for it 
where provision might have been had. I am much to 
be blamed.* 

Then said Mercy, how knew you this before you 
came from home ? Pray open to me this riddle. 

Chr. Why, I will tell you. — Before I set foot out 
of doors, one night, as I lay in my bed, I had a dream 
about this : for methought I saw two men, as like these 
as ever the world they could look, stand at my bed's 
feet, plotting how they might prevent my salvation, I 
will tell you their very words : they said, (it was when 
I was in my troubles,) " What shall we do with tliis 
woman ? for she cries out waking and sleeping for for- 
giveness : if she be suffered to go on as she begins^ 
we shall lose her as we have lost her husband." This 
you know might have made me take heed, and hav6 
provided when provision might have been had. 

Well, said Mercy, as by this neglect we have an oc-* 
casion ministered unto us to behold our imperfections, 
so our Lord has taken occasion thereby to make mani- 
fest the riches of his grace ; for he, as we see, has fol- 
lowed us with unasked kindness, and has delivered us 
from their hands that were stronger than we, of his 
mere good pleasure. 

Thus now, when they had talked away a little 
more time, they drew near to an house that stood in 
the way : which house was built for the relief of pil- 
grims : as you will find more fully related in the first 
part of the records of the Pilgrim's Progress, (c) So 
they drew on towards the house (the house of the In- 
terpreter ; ) and, when they came to the door, they 
heard a great talk in the house : then they gave ear, 
and heard, as they thought, Christiana mentioned by 
name. For you must know, that there went along; 



* Here is the display of a truly Christian spirit, in that open and ingenu- 
ous confession of her fault, taking all, the blame upon herself, exaggex-ating 
it, and excusing- Mercy. 

(a)Parti. p.^5-.-ar- 



THE DOOR IS OPENED *rO THEIVf. 28*) 

even before her, a talk of her and her children going 
bn pilgrimage. And this was the more pleasing to 
them, oecause they had heard that she was Christian's 
wife, that woman who was some time ago so unwilling 
to hear of going on pilgrimage. Thus, therefore, they 
stood still, and heard the good people within commend- 
ing her, who they little thought stood at the door. ---At 
last Christiana knocked, as she had done at the gate 
before. Now, when she had knocked, there came to 
the door a young damsel, named Innocent, and opened 
the door, and looked, and behold, two women were 
there. 

Then said the damsel to them, " With whom would 
you speak in this place ? 

Christiana answered, " We understand that this is a 
privileged place for those that are become pilgrims, 
and we now at this door arc such : wherefore we pray 
that we may be partakers of that for which we at this 
time are come ; for the day, as thou seest^ is very far 
spent, and we are loth to-night to go any further. 

Dam. Pray what may I call your name, that I may- 
tell it to my Lord within ? 

Chr. My name is Christiana; I was the wife of 
that pilgrim that some years ago did travel this way ; 
and these be his four children. This maiden is also my 
companion, and is going on pilgrimage too. 

Then ran Innocent in (for that was her name,) and 
said to those within, " Can you think who is at the 
door? there is Christiana and her children, and her 
companion, all Waiting for entertainment here!" Then 
they leaped for joy, and went and told their master* 
So he came to the door, and, looking upon her, he 
said, " Art thou that Christiana whom Christian the 
good man left behind him, when he betook himself to 
a pilgrim's life ?" 

Chr. I am that w^oman that was so hard-hearted as 
to slight my husband's troubles^ and that left him to ga 

S7 



29b THEY ARE WELCOMED TO THE HOtSEo 

on his journey alone ; and these are his four children ; 
but now I also am come, for I am convinced that no 
wa}^ is right but this.* 

Inter, Then is fufilled that which is written of the 
man that said to his son, '' Go work to-day in my 
vineyard ; and he said to his father, I will not ; but af-. 
terwards repented and went.'-(a) 

Then said Cliristiana, So be it ; Amen. God make 
it a true saying upon me, and grant that I may be found 
at the last **of him in peace, without spot, and blame- 
less!" 

Inter. But why standest thou at the door ? Come^ 
in, thou daughter of Abraham : we were talking of 
thee but now, for tidings have come to us before, hoAV 
thou art become a pilgrim. Come, children, come in: 
come maiden, come.— ^So he had them all into the 
house. 

So, when thev were within, thev werc bidden to sit 
down and rest them ; the which when they had done, 
those that attended upon the pilgrims in the house 
came into the room to see them. And one smiled, 
and another smiled, and they all smiled, for joy that 
Christiana was become a pilgrim t they also looked 
upon the boys ; they stroked them over their faces 
with their hands, in token of their kind reception of 



* Here see how the experience of true grace worlts in the heart : by 
keeping- the subjects of it low in their own eves, and cutting cff all sell- 
exaltings. *' I am that hard-hearted woman,'* ^.c Tliis evei* dwielt upper- 
most in Christiana's heart. Oh soul, if thou truly khowest th\self, thou 
>vilt ever be sinking into nothing, because a sinner before the Lord, and 
confessing thy vileness unto him, acknowledge if he had left thee to thy* 
self, destruction must have been thy inevitable doom. And see how confix 
dent divine teaching makes us. Under its power and influence, we can say 
with Christiana, *' I am convinced that no way is right but tllis," even to be 
a pilgrim of the Lord, and sojourner upon the earth. 

(a) Matt. xxj. 28, 29. 



* 



n 



n 



^w. 




THE MUCK RAKE. 



THE MAN WITH THE MUCK-RAKE. 29i^ 

them: they also carried it lovingly to Mercy, and 
bid them all welcome into their Master's house. ^"^^ 

Alter a while, because supper was not ready, the 
Interpreter took them into his significant roo?ns, and 
showed them what Christian, Christiana's husband, 
had seen some time before. Here therefore, they* 
saw the man in the cage, the man and his dream, the 
man that cut his way tlirough his enemies, and the 
picture of the greatest of all ; together with the rest of 
those things that were then so profitable to Christian, 

This done, and, after those things had been somct 
what digested by Christiana and her company, the In- 
terpreter takes them apart again, and has them first 
into a room, where was a man that could look no way 
but downwards, with a nmck-rake in his hand : there 
stood also one over his head with a celestial crown in 
his hand, and proffered him that cfown for his muck- 
rake ; but the man did neither look up nor regard, but 
raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and dust 
of the floor. 

Then said Christiana, I persuade myself, that I 
know somewhat the meaning of this; for this is the 
figure of a man in this world : is it not, good Sir ? 

Thou hast said right, said he, and his muck-rake 
doth show his carnal mind. And, whereas thou seeat 
him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks, and 
the dust of the floor, than do what he says tliat calls to 
him from above, with the celestial crown in his hand ; 
it is to show, that heaven is but as a fable to some, 
and that things here are counted the only things sub- 
stantial. Now, whereas it was also showed thee, that 



* Here is joy indeed, which strangers to the love of Christ intermeddle 
not with. Believer, -did you never partake of tiiis pleasine;-, this delightful 
sensation, on seemg- otlier poor sinners Uke thyself, called to know Jesus and 
follow him ? Surely this is the joy of heavt-n ; and if thou hast this joy, thou 
hast the love that reigns in heaven. O for a spread and increase of tliis 
;jpirit among Christians of all denominations- 



5292 THE SPIDER ON THB WALL J 

the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let 
thee know, that earthly things, when they are with 
power upon men's minds, quite carry their hearts away 
from God. 

Then said Christiana, O ! deliver me from this 
muck-rake. 

That prayer, said the Interpreter, has lain by till 
it is almost rusty : *^ Give me not riches," is scarce 
the jM'ayer of one of ten thousand, (o;) Straws, and 
sticks, and dust, with most are the things now looked 
after. 

With that Mercy and Christiana wept, and said, 
** It is, alas ! too true."^ 

Wlien the Interpreter had showed them this, he had 
them into the very best room in the house (a very 
brave room it was : ) so he bid thern look round about,, 
and see if they could find any thing profitable there. 
Then they looked round and round ; for there was no- 
thing to be seen but a very great spider on the wall ; 
and that they overlooked. 

Then said Mercy, Sir, I see nothing; but Chiistiana 
held her peace. 

But, said tlie Interpreter, " Look again :'^ she 
therefore looked again, and said, " Here is not any 
thing but an ugly spider, who hangs by her hands 
upon the wall.'^ *' Then," said he, " is there but one 



* The emblematical instruction at the Interpreter's house, in the former 
part, was so important and comprehensive, that no otlier selection equally 
interesting could be expected, some valuable hints, however, are here ad- 
duced. The first emblem is very plain, and so apposite, that it is a wonder 
any person should read it, without lifting up a prayer to the Lord, and say- 
ing, " Oh ! deliver me from this Muck-rake-" Yet alas, it is to be feared^ 
such prayers are still little used, even by professors of the Gospel; at least 
they are contradicted by the habitual conduct of numbers among them, and 
this should very properly lead us to weep over others, and tremble over 
ourselves. Iteader, didst thou, like these pious pilgrims, never shed a ge- 
nerous tear, for thy base and disingenuous conduct towards thy Lord, in 
preferring the sticks and straws of this world, to tlie unsearchable riches 
cf Christ, and the salvation of thy immortal sou!.. 

(a) Prov. sxx F: 



THE RIDDLE THEREOF EXPLAINED. 293 

spider in all this spacious room?'' Then the water 
stood in Christiana's eyes, for she was a \voman quick 
of apprehension : and she said, " Yes, Lord, there is 
Xnore here than one : yea, and spiders whose venom 
is far more destructive than that which is in her." 
The Interpreter then looked pleasantly on her, and 
said, '' Thou hast said the truth." This made Mere}' 
blush, and the boys to cover their faces ; for they all 
began now to understand the riddle.^ 

Then said the Intei-preter again , ' The spider taketh 
hold with her hands (as you see,) and is in king's pala- 
ces." And wherefore is this recorded, but to show 
you, that how full of the venom of sin soever you be, 
yet you may, by the hand of faith, lay hold of, and 
dwell in, the best room that belongs to the king's 
house above ? 

I thought, said Christiana, of something of this ; 
but I could not imagine it all. I thought, that we were 
like spiders, and that we looked like ugly creatures, in 
what fine rooms soever we were ; but that by this spi- 
der, this venemous aud ill-favoured creature, we w^ere. 
to learn how to act faith, that came not into my 
thoughts ; that she worketh with hands ; and, as I see, 
dwells in the best room in the house. — God has made 
nothing in vain. 

Then they seemed all to be glad ; but the water stood 
in their eyes : yet they looked one upon another, and 
also bowed before the Interpreter. 

He had them then into another room, wiiere was a 
hen and chickens, and bid them observe a while. So 
one of the chickens went to the trough to drink, and 



* The author did not mean by the emblem of tl)e spider, that the sinner 
might confidently assure himself of salvation, by the blood of Christ, 
while he continued full of the poison of sin, without experiencing- and evi- 
dencing- any change ; but only, that no consciousness of actual guilt, and 
inward pollution need discourage any one from applying to Chrict, and flee- 
ing for refuge, " to lay hold on the hope set before »hcm," that thus the 
sincere soul may he delivered from condenmation, cleansed ftdly from pol- 
lution, and so made meet for those blessed mansi'^ns, into which no unclcsin 
':hing can find admission. 



204 THE HEI^ AND CHICKENS. 

ever}^ time she drank she hfted up her head and he^ 
eyes towards heaven. *' See," said he, *' what this 
little chick doeth, and learn of her to acknowledge 
whence your mercies come, by receiving them with 
looking up. — Yet again," said he, *' observe and 
look ;!' so they gave heed, and perceived tliat the hen 
did walk in a fourfold method towards her chickens. 
1. She had a common calU and that she had all the day 
long. 2. She had a special call, and that she had but 
sometimes. 3. She had a brooding note. And, 4. She 
had an out cry. [a) 

Now, said he, compare this hen to your King, and 
these chickens to his obedient ones. For, answerable 
to her, himself has his methods, which he w^alketh in 
towards his people : by his common call he gives 
nothing ; by his special call he always has something 
to give ; he has also a brooding voice for them that are 
under his wing; and he has an outcry, to give the 
alarm when he seeth the enemv come. I choose, mv 
darlings, to lead you into the room where such things 
are, because vou are women, and thev are easv for 
you.* 



* Our Lord hath, In Immense condescension, employed tliis emblem, to re- 
present his tender love to sinners, for whom he bare the storm of wrath him- 
self, that by flying to him, they might be safe and happy under the shadow of 
his wing". Matt- xiii- ^7- — The co'mvion call signifies the general invitatiorrs"^ 
of the gospel, which should be addressed without restriction to every crea- 
ture within the sound thereof, " preach this my gospel to every creature :" 
*"' as many as ye find bid to the marriage." In proportion as sinners obey 
what Mr Bunyan termed a common colly so shall they feel what he styles a 
special call; when (Jod bestows the grace, peace, and pardon of the gospel of 
Christ upon those who believe with an heart unto righteousness. The brood- 
ing note is, when he gathers them under his wings, warms their hearts with 
the comforts of his love, nourislies their souls with close fellowship with 
himself, and refreshes their spirits Avith the overflowings of joy in the Holy 
Ghost. *' In the shadow of tiiy wings will I rejoice," says Da^id, Ps. Ixii. 7- 
'* I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my 
tsste," Song ii. 3- O for more of these precious brooding notes, to be ga- 
tl)ered under tlie wings of our Immanuel ! But be our frames and experi- 
ences wiiat they may still we are ever in danger; for our enemies surround 
r.s on every side. Therefore our Lord has an outcry ; he gives the alarm, 
-alls upon us, and va.rns us of danger. Why ? that wc should flee to him> 

(a) Matt, xxlii., 27- 



THB PATIENCE OP THE SHEEP. 295 

'^ And, Sir", said Christiana, "pray let us sec some 
more." So he had them into the shiughter-house^ 
where was a butcher killing of sheep : and, behold, 
the sheep was quiet, and took her death patiently. 
<' Then," said the Interpreter, " you must learn of 
this sheep to suffer, and to put up with wrongs without 
murmurings and complaints. Behold how quickly 
she takes her death, and, without objecting, she suffer- 
eth her skin to be pulled over her ears. — Your King- 
doth call you his sheep. "^ 

After this he led them into his garden, where was 
great variety of flowers : and he said, " Do you see 
all these?" So Christiana said, " Yes." Then said 
he again, " Behold the flowers are divers in stuture, in 
quality, and colour, and smell, and virtue ; and sonie 
are better than some ; also where the gardener hath set 
them, there they stand, and quarrel not one with 
another."! 

Again, he had them into his field, Vvhich he had 
sown with wheat and corn : but, when they beheld, 
the tops of all were cut off', only the straw remained. 
He said again, " This ground was dunged, and plough- 
ed, and sowed ; but what shall we do with the crop ?" 
Then said Christiana, " Burn some, and make muck 
of the rest." Then said the Interpreter again, '' Fruit 
you seCj is that thing you look for, and for want of that 
you condemn it to the fire, and to be trodden under 
foot of men; beware that in this vou condemn not 
yourselves. J 



and run into him. For "the name of the Lord is a strong" tower: tJic 
ripchteous runneth into it, and is sufe," Prov. xviii. 10- 

* Were we as sheep g-omg- astray ? Are we now returned to thee, O 
Christ, the g-reat Shepherd and Bishop of our souls ? Lord give us more and 
more of thy meek and lowly spirit ! 

■j- Christ's church is his garden; believers are planted in it by the power 
ftf his g'race, and they shall soon be transplanted into his king'dom of glory» 
Though there may be little non-essential diflerences of judgment, yet wliy 
should they fall out? Ofor more love and peace from Jesus, and then tliere 
will be more among* each other. 

± A precious caution. See to it, Christian, that you avoid those things 
^hich cause deadnes^ and unfruitfuljiess, &i\d ft^lloTy those things whicK 



296 THE KOBIN RED-BREAST* 

Then, as they were coming in from abroad, they es- 
pied a robin with a great spider in his mouth ; so the 
Interpreter said, " Look here." So they looked, and 
Mercy wondered ; but Christiana said, '' What a dis- 
paragement is it to such a httle pretty bird as the rob- 
bin-red- breast is! he being also a bird above many, 
that ioveth to maintain a kind of sociableness with 
men : I had thought they had lived upon crumbs of 
bread, or upon other such harmless matter : I like him 
worse than I did.'' ' 

The Interpreter then replied, This robbin is an em- 
blem, very apt to set forth some professors by ; ^for to 
sight they are, as this robbin, pretty of note, colour, 
and carriage ; they seem also to have a very great love 
for professors that are sincere ; and above all other to 
desire to associate with them, and to be in their com- 
pany; as if they could live upon the good man's 
crumbs. They pretend also, that therefore it is that 
they frequent the house of the godly, and the appoint- 
ments of the Lord : but when they are by themselves, 
as the robbin, they can catch and gobble up spiders^ 
they can change their diet, drink and swallow down sin 
like water.* 

So when they were come again into the house, be- 
cause supper as yet was not ready, Christiana again 
desired that the Interpreter would either show or tell 
^some other things that are profitable. 

Then the Interpreter began, and said: The fatter 
die sow is, the more she desires the mire; the fatter the 



tend to quicken and make your souls fruitful in good works, to the glory 
of God. 

* Reader, a very striking emblem this, and most pertinently applied : 
and, if your soul is sincere, it will cause a holy fear, create a godly jea- 
lousy, put you upon self-examining, and make you sigh, out in some such 
words as David, " Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and 
know my thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me 
in the way everlasting," Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24. O what will it avail m a dying 
hour, or in the judgment day, that we have worn the mark of profession, 
and seemed to man, what we were not in heart and reality of life before 
God ? From all self-deceiving, good Lord^ deliver us ! for we are n^tuv" 
ally prone to it. 



THE interpreter's INSTRUCTIONS. 297 

t)x is, the more gamesomely he goes to the slaughter ; 
and the more healthy the lusty man is, the more prone 
is he unto evil. 

There is a desire in women to go neat and fine, and 
it is a comely thing to be adorned with that which in 
God's sight is of great price. 

'Tis easier watching a night or two, than to sit up a 
whole year together : so 'tis easier for one to begin to 
profess well, than to hold out as he should to the end. 
Every ship-master, when in a storm, will willingly 
cast that overboard that is of the smallest value in the 
vessel : but who will throw the best out first ? None 
but he that feareth not God. 

One leak will sink a ship ; and one sin will destroy 
a sinner. 

He that forgets his friend, is ungrateful unto him : 
but he that forgets his Saviour, is unmerciful to him- 
self. 

He that lives in sin, and looks for happiness hereafter, 
is like him that soweth cockle, and thinks to fill his barn 
with wheat and barley. 

If a man would live well, let him fetch his last day 
to him, and make it always his company- keeper. 

Whispering and change of thoughts prove that sin 
is in the world. 

If the world, which God sets light by, is counted a 
thing of that worth with men ; what is heaven, that 
God commendeth ? 

If the life that is attended with so many troubles, is 
so loth to be let go by us, what is the life above ? 

Every body will cry up the gosdness of men ; but 
who is there, that is, as he should be, affected with the 
goodness of God ? 

We seldom sit down to meat, but we eat and leave ; 
so there is in Jesus Christ more merit and righteous^ 
ness than the whole world has need of.' 

38 



29S CHRISTIANA DECLARES HOW SHE BECAME 

When the Interpreter had done, he takes them out 
into his garden again, and had them to a tree, whose 
inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew and had 
leaves. Then said Mercy, " What means this ? — 
This tree," said he, " whose outside is fair, and 
whose inside is rotten, is it, to which many may be 
compared that are in the garden of God ; who with 
their mouths speak high in behalf of God, but in deed 
will do nothing for him ; whose leaves are fair, but 
their heart good for nothing, but to be tinder for the 
devil's tinder-box." 

Now supper was ready, the table spread, and all 
things set on board ; so they sat down and did eat, 
when one had given thanks. And the Interpreter did 
usually entertain those that lodged with him, with mu- 
sic at meals ; so the minstrels played. There was also 
one that did sing, and a very fine voice he had. His 
song was this — 

" The Lord is only my support, 
And he that doth me feed ; 
How can I then want any thing 
Whereof I stand in need?" 

When the song and music were ended, the Intef-^- 
preter asked Christiana, what it was that at first did 
move her thus to betake herself to a pilgrim's life ? 
Christiana answered : First, the loss of my husband 
came into my mind, at which I was heartily grieved ; 
but all that was but natural affection. Then, after that, 
came the troubles and pilgrimage of my husband into 
mind, and also how like a churl I had carried it to him 
as to that. So guilt took hold of my mind, and would 
have drawn me into the pond ; but that opportunely I 
had a dream of the well-being of my husband, and a 
letter sent me by the King of that country where my 
husband dwells, to come to him. The dream and the 



A PILGRIM, AND WHAT BEFELL HER IN THE WAY. 299 

letter together so wrought upon my mind, that they 
forced me to this way. 

Inter. But met you with no opposition before you 
set out of doors ? 

Chr. Yes, a neighbour of mine, one Mrs. Timo- 
rous (she was kin to him that would have persuaded 
my husband to go back, for fear of the lions,) she also 
so befooled me,* for, as she called it, my intended des- 
perate adventure ; she also urged what she could to 
dishearten me from it ; the hardships and troubles that 
my husband met with in the way : but all this I got 
over pretty well. But a dream that I had of two ill- 
looking ones, that I thought did plot how to make me 
miscarry in my journey, that hath troubled me : yea, it 
still runs in my mind, and makes me afraid of every 
one that I meet, lest they should meet me to do me a 
mischief, and to turn me out of my way. Yea, I may 
tell my Lord, though I would not have every body 
know it, that between this and the gate by which we 
got into the way, we were both so sorely assaulted, that 
we were made to cry out murder ; and the two that 
made this assault upon us, were like the two that I saw 
in my dream. 

Then said the Interpreter, " Tiiy beginning is good, 
thy latter end shall greatly increase.'* So he address- 
ed him to Mercy, and said unto her, ** And what mo* 
red thee to come hither, sweet heart ?" 

Then Mercy blushed and trembled, and for a while 
continued silent. 

Then said he, Be not afraid, only believe, and speak 
thy mind. 

Then she began and said. Truly, Sir, my want of 
experience is that which makes me covet to be in si- 



* Ah, Mrs. Timorous \ How many professed pili^rims hast thou befooled 
and turned back ! How often docs she attack and affright many real pil- 
grims ! O may we say to every incitement to self-complacency, in our 
Lord's words, " Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou savourest not the things 
that be of God, but those that bq of men.'* Mat. xvi. 23. 



300 mercy's account of herself : 

lence, and that also that filleth me with fears of coming' 
short at last. I cannot tell of visions and dreams, as 
my friend Christiana can ; nor know I what it is to 
mourn for my refusing of the counsel of those that 
were good relations.* 

Inter. What was it then, dear heart, that hath pre- 
vailed with thee to do as diuu hast done ? 

Mercy. Why, when our friend here Avas packing 
up to be gone from our town, I and another went acci- 
dentally to see her. So we knocked at the door, 
and went in. When we were within, and seeing 
what she was doing, we asked her what she meant ? 
She said, she was sent for to go to her husband ; 
and then she up and told us how she had seen him 
in a dream, dwelling in a curious place, among im- 
mortals, wearing a crown, playing upon a harp, eating 
and drinking at his Prince's table, and singing praises 
to him for the bringing him thither, &c. Now me- 
thought while she was telling these things unto us, my 
heart burned within me. And I said in my heart. If 
this be true, I will leave my father and my mother, and 
the land of my nativity, arid will, if I may, go along 
with Christiana. 

So I asked her further of the truth of these things, 
and if she would let me go with her ; for I saw now, 
that there was no dwelling, but with the danger of ru- 
in, any longer in our town. But yet I came away with 
a heavy heart ; not for that I was unwilling to come 
away, but for that so many of my relations were left be^ 
hind. And I am come with all my heart, and will, if I 
may, go with Christiana to her husband, and his King, 



* A very simple and artless confession. The Lord works very differently 
Xipon the hearts of sin)iers, but always to one and the same end, namely, to 
cause us to prize Christ, liis salvation, and his M'ays, and to abhor om-- 
selves, the paths of sin, and to cast off all self-righteous hopes. If this is 
effected in thy heart. Header, no matter whether thou cans', tell of visions 
and dreams, and talk high of experiences. Many are, and have been de- 
ceived by these things, and come to nothing. But where the soul is rooted 
and grounded in the knowledge of precious Christ, and love to his ways^ 
though there may be many fears, yet this is an indubitable proof of a rea^ 
and sincere pilgrim. 



SHE IS ENCOURAr.F.n BY THE INTERPRETER. 301 

Inter. Thy settii\^ out is good, for thou hast giv- 
en credit to the truth ;^ thou art a Ruth, who did, for 
the love she bare to Naomi, and to the Lord her God, 
leave flither and mother, and the land of her nativity, 
to come out and go with a people that she knew not 
before, '' The Lord recompense thy work, and a full 
reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, un- 
der whose wings thou art come to trust. "(«) 

Now supper was ended, and preparation was made 
for bed ; the women were laid singly alone, and the 
boys by themselves. Now when Mercy was in bed, 
she could not sleep for joy, for that now her doubts of 
missing at last were removed further from her than 
ever they were before. So she lay blessing and prais- 
ing God, who had such favour for her.f 



* Thou hast given credit to tlie truth. What is this but faith ; the faith 
of the operation of God ? But some may ask, Wliat is justifying", saving 
faith ; nothing more than a belief of the truth ? If so, the very devils believe ; 
yea, more, they tremble also. True : but mind how Mercy's faith wrought 
by her works. True, she did not tremble, like a devil, without hope, but 
she fled for refuge to the hope set before her in the gospel. She fled from 
sin, from the city of destruction, to Christ for salvation. Though she had 
not the joy of fuitli, yet she followed on to know the Lord, walking in his 
ways, and hoping for comfort from the Lord in his due time. O how are 
many poor pilgrims' hearts dejected and distressed about the faith of the 
gospel, by the strange perplexnig, unscriptural definitions which have been 
given of it ! whereis faith is the most simple thing in tlie world, it is the 
belief of the truth as it is in Jesus ; that we are lost sinners in ourselves, 
and that there is salvation for us in him. Where this is believed in the 
heart, it causes a sinner to become a pilgrim ; believing the exceeding sin- 
fulness of sin, the perfect purity of God's law, his own ruined state, the 
preciousness of Christ, the glory of his salvation, the necessity of holiness, 
and the hope of glory ; this faitli will influence the conduct, bring love in- 
to the heart, and cause the soul to persevere, looking to Jesus the author 
and finisher of our faith. O Reader, if thou hast a grain of this precious 
faith in <^hy heart, bless Jesus for it, and go on thy way rejoicing. 

f Here now is the comfort of faith. As by constant exercise of ourfiiith, 
it grows strong, so it expels our doubts, enlivens our hearts, and sets our 
souls a blessing and praising our Immanuel. This prayer, *' Lord increase 
opr faith !" is ever needful for God's glory, and our soul's comlort. 

(a) Ruth ii. 11,12. 



302 THE PILGRIMS PREPARE TO DEPART, 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE PILGRIMS CONDUCTED BY GREAT- HEART, PROCEED 
ON THEIR JOURNEY. 

In the morning they arose with the sun, and prepared 
themselves for their departure ; but the Interpreter 
would have them tarry awhile : " for," said he, " you 
must orderly go from hence." Then said he to the 
damsel that first opened unto them, " Take them and 
have them into the garden to the hath^ and there wash 
them and make them clean from the soil, which they 
have gathered by travelling." Then Innocent the 
damsel took them, and led them into the garden, and 
brought them to the bath ; so she told them, that there 
they must wash and be clean, for so her Master would 
have the women to do, that called at his house as they 
were going on pilgrimage. Then they went in and 
washed, yea, they and the boys and all ; and they came 
out of that bath not only sweet and clean, but also 
much enlivened and strengthened in their joints. So 
when they came in, they looked fairer a deal than when 
they went out to the washing.* 

When they were returned out of the garden from 
the bath, the Interpreter took them, and looked upon 
them, and said unto them, " Fair as the moon." Then 
he called for the seal, wherewith they used to be sealed 
that were washed in his bath. So the seal was brought, 
and he set his mark upon them, that they might be 
known in the places whither they were yet to go. 
Now the seal was the contents and sum of the passo- 



* There are no pilgrims but daily need to have recourse to this bath. 
What may we understand by it ? The blood of Jesus, which cleanses us 
from all sin, 1 John i. 7- Christ is the fountain opened for sin, and for un- 
cleanness, Zech.xiii. 1. Christ is the soul's only batli. The Holy Spirit, 
the Sanctifier, leads us to the blood of the Lamb. The Spirit bears wit- 
ness to this blood, and purifies and comforts by the application of this blood 
onlr. 



THK SEAL AND WHITE RAIMENT. 303 

Ver which the children of Israel did eat when they 
came out of the land of Egypt ;{a) and the mark was 
set between their eyes. This seal greatly added to 
their beauty, for it was an ornament to their faces. It 
also added to their gravity, and made their countenan- 
ces more like those of angels.* 

Then said the Interpreter again to the damsel that 
waited upon the women, *' Go into the ^Tstry, and 
fetch out garments for these people." So she went and 
fetched out white raiment, and laid it down before 
him : so he commanded them to put it on :f it was 
" fine linen, white and clean." When the women 
were thus adorned, they seemed to be a terror one to 
the other ; for that they could not see that glory each 
one in herself, which they could see in each other. 
Now therefore they began to esteem each other better 
than themselves. " For you are fairer than I am," said 
one ; and, " You are more comely than I am," said 
another. The children also stood amazed, to see into 
what fashion they were brought. 

The Interpreter then called for a man-servant of his, 
one Great-heart,J and bid him take a sword, and hel- 
met, and shield; " and take these my daughters," said 
he, " conduct them to the house called Beautiful, at 



* This means the sealing of the Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. O this is blessed 
sealing? None know the comfort and joy of it, but those who have expe- 
rienced it. It confirms our faith, establishes our hope, and inflames our af- 
fections to God the Father for his love, to God the Son, for his gracious 
atonement and righteousness, and to God the Spirit for his enlightening 
mercy, regenerating grace, quickening, sanctifying, testifying, and assuring 
influences, whereby we know that we are the cliildren of God, for "the 
Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the children of 
God." Rom. viii. 16. Therefore grieve not the Holy Spirit. 

f Mind, they are commanded to put it on. Though God imparts the 
righteousness of his beloved Son to sinners, yet it is received and put on by 
faith. Hence it is called the righteousness of God, 2 Cor. v. 21. and the 
righteousness of faith, Rom. x. 6. 

4^ Great-heart, may represent the stated pastoral care of a vigilant Mi- 
nister, who is strong in the faith, and courageous in the cause of God- 
How thankful shoidd we be for a pure ministry, and carefully improve all 
the blessings consequent thereupon. 

(a) Exod xiii. 8—10. 



304 GREAT- HEART GUIDES THE PILGRIMS. 

which place they will rest next." So he took his 
weapons, and went before them ; and the Interpreter 
said, ''God speed." Those also that belonged to the 
family sent them away with many a good wish. So 
they went on their way, and sang — 

" This place has been our second stage, 

Here we have heard and seen 
Those good things, that from age to age 

To others hid have been. 
The dunghill raker, spider, hen, 

The chicken too, to me 
Hath taught a lesson ; let me then 

Conformed to it be. 
The butcher, garden, and the field, 

The robin and his bait, 
Also the rotten tree doth yield 

Me argument of weight ; 
To move me for to watch and pray, 

To strive to be sincere : 
To take my cross up day by day, 

And serve the Lord with fear." 

Now I saw in my dream ^ that those went on, and 
Great-heart before them ; so they went and came to 
the place where Christian's burden fell off his back, 
and tumbled into a sepulchre. (a) Here then they made 
a pause. Here also they blessed God.' Now, said 
Christiana, it comes to my mind what was said to 
us at that gate, to wit, that we should have pardon by 
word and deed ; by word, that is, by the promise ; by 
deed^ to wit, in the way it was obtained. What the 
promise is, of that I know something : but what it is 
to have pardon by deed, or in the way that it was ob- 
tained, Mr. Great-heart, I suppose you know ; which, 
if you please, let us hear your discourse thereof. 

Gr.-h. Pardon by the deed done, is pardon obtain- 
ed by some one, for another that hath need thereof : 



(a) Part I. p. 88. 



THE EFFICACY OP CHRISl's RIGHTEOUSNESS. 305 

not by the person pardoned, but in " the way," saith 
another, *' in which I have obtained it." — So then (to 
speak to the question more at large,) the pardon that 
you, and Mercy, and these boys huve attained by 
another ; to wit, by him that let you in at that gate : 
and he hath obtained it in this double way : he hath 
performed righteousness to cover you, and spilt blood 
to wash you in.* 

Chr. But if he parts with his righteousness to usr, 
what will he have for himself? 

Gr.-h. He has more righteousness than you have 
need of, or than he needeth himself. 

Chr. Pray make that appear. 

Gr.-h. With all my heart: but first I must pre- 
mise, that he, of whom we are now about to speak, is 
one that has not his fellow. He has two natures in one 
person, plain to be distinguished, impossible to be di- 
vided. Unto each of these natures a righteousness 
belongeth, and each lighteousness is essential to that 
nature. So that one may as easily cause the natures 
to be extinct, as to separate its justice or righteousness 
from it. Of these righteousnesses, therefore, we are 
not made partakers, so that they, or any of them, 
should be put upon us, that we might be made just^ 
and live thereby. Besides these, there is a righteous, 
ness which this Person has, as these two natures are 
joined in one. And this is not the righteousness of 
the Godhead, as distinguished from the manhood ; nor 
the righteousness of the manhood, as distinguished 
from the Godhead; but a righteousness which standeth 
in the union of both natures, and may properly be 
called the righteousness that is essential to his being 
prepared of God to the capacity of the mediatory 
office, which he was entrusted with. If he parts with 
his first righteousness, he parts with his Godhead : if 



* This, this is the comfort, joy, and g'lorying- of a pil.sfrim*s heart. TlTtl^ 
Jesus performed rig-hleousness to cover us, and spi'i blood to v'.si s ! 
Have we faith in him ? O how ouglu we to U>ve •um, ^loi y "f I'im, itjoicc 
ic him, and study to glorify liim in evx-y siep of our pilijiimag-e ! 

a9 



306 iCHRIST^S RIGHTEOUSNESS* 

he parts with his second righteousness, he parts with 
the purity of his manhood : if he parts with his third, 
he parts with that perfection which capacitates him to 
the office of mediation. He has therefore another 
righteousness, which standeth in performance, or obe-- 
dience to a revealed will : and that is what he puts 
upon sinners, and that by which their sins are covered. 
Wherefore he saith, "as by one man's disobedience^ 
many were made sinners : so by the obedience of one^^ 
shall many be made righteous, "*(a) 

Chr. But are the other righteousnesses of no use to 
us? 

Gr.-h. Yes : for thou,e;h they are essential to his 
natures and office, and cannot be communicated unto 
another, yet it is by virtue of them that the righteous- 
ness that justifies is for that purpose efficacious. The 
righteousness of his Godhead gives virtue to his obe- 
dience ; the righteousness of his manhood giveth capa- 
bility to his obedience to justify ; and the righteousness 
that standeth in the union of these tw^o natures to his 
office, giveth authority to that righteousness to do the 
work for which it was ordained. 

So then here is a righteousness that Christ, as God, 
has no need of ; for he is God without it : here is a 
righteousness that Christ, as man, has no need of to 
make him so, for he is perfect man without it : again, 
here is a righteousness that Christ, as God-man, has 
no need of, for he is perfectly so without it. Here 
then is a righteousness that Christ, as God, and as 
God- man, has no need of, with reference to himself, 



* Here IMr. Banyan gives a very clear and distlilct account of that righ- 
teousness of Christ, as mediator, which he wrought out by his perfect obe- 
dience to the law of God, for, and in behalf oi all beUevers • and wliich 
righteousness is imparted to them by God the Father, through faith, and in 
this righteousness, believers in Christ are made perfectly righteous before 
God. Of this righteousness, therefore, they glory, and their souls make 
their boast of itj saying, In th.e Lord Jehovah Jesus, have I righteousness :' 
|£a. xlv, 84. 

(a) Rom. V. .l^- 



i^URTHER EXPLAINED. 30? 

aiid therefore he can spare it ; a justifying righteous-- 
ness, that he for himself wanteth not, and therefore gi- 
veth it away. Hence it is called "the gift of righteous- 
ness."(«) — This righteousness, since Christ Jesus the 
Lord has made himself under the law, must be given 
away; for the law doth not only bind him that is under 
it, to do justly, but to use charity » Wherefore he 
must, or ought by the law, if he hath two coats, to 
give one to him that hath none, Now our Lord indeed 
hath two coats, one for himself, and one to spare : 
wherefore he freely bestows one upon those that have 
none. And thus, Christiana and Mercy, and the rest 
of you that are here, doth your pardon come by decd^ 
or by the work of another man ? Your Lord Christ is 
he that worked, and hath given away what he wrought 
for, to the next poor beggar he meets. 

But again, in order to pardon by deed, there must 
something be paid to God as a price, as well as some- 
thing prepared to cover us withal. Sin has delivered 
us up to the just course of a righteous law : now from 
this course we must be justified by way of redemption, 
a price being paid for the harms we have done ; and 
this is by the blood of your Lord, who came and stood 
in your place and stead, and died your death for your 
transscressions. Thus has he ransomed vou from vour 
transgressions by bloody and covered your polluted 
and deformed souls with righteousness ;(/?>) for the sake 
bf which, God passeth by you, and will not hurt you, 
when he coihes to judge the world,* 



* Thus we see what God hath joined together, the life and death, the 
atonement and rig-hfeousness of his beloved Son, for the salvation of our 
30uls. Both enter into the essence of the faith of the gospel. Let us be- 
ware never to separate them in our views. We want both his blood t» 
Atone for qnxv sins, and his righteousness to be imparted to our souls, 

(a) Rom. r. 17. (A) Rom. viii, 34. Gal. iJi- ^. 



^OB THE BLESSED EFFECTS OF 

Chr. This is brave : now I see that there was some^ 
thing to be learned by our being pardoned by woj^d 
and deed. Good Mercy, let us labour to keep this in 
mind ; and my children, do you remember it also. — - 
But, Sir, was not this it that made my good Christian's 
burden fall from off his shoulder, and that made him 
give three leaps for joy ? 

Gr.-h. Yes, it was the belief of this that cut off 
those strings that could not be cut by other means ; 
and it was to give him a proof of the virtue of this, 
that he was suffered to carry his burden to the cross. 

Chr. I thought so ; for though my heart was light- 
ful and joyous before, yet it is ten times more lightsome 
and joyous now. And I am persuaded by what I 
have felt (though I have felt but little as yet,) that if 
the most burdened man in the w^orld was here^ and did 
see and believe as I now do, it would make his heart 
the more merry and blithe. 

Gr.-h. There is not onlv one comfort, and the ease 
of a burden brought to us, by the sight and considera- 
tion of these, but an endeared affection begot in us by 
it: for who can (if he does but once think that pardon 
comes not only by promise, but thus,) but be affected 
with the v/ay and means of redemption, and so with 
the man that hath wrought it for him ^-'^ 

CHRi True : methinks it makes my heart bleed to 
think, that he should bleed for me. Oh ! thou loving 
One ! Oh ! thou blessed One 1 Thou deservest to have 
me ; thou hast bought me ; thou deservest to have me 
all ; thou hast paid for me ten thousand times more 
than I am worth ! — No marvel that this made the water 
stand in my husband's eyes, and that it made him 



* Come hither, ye sons of the sorceress, who make sport of holy raptures 
and heavenly ecstacy, beg-otten in the soul by tlie knowledg-e ofbedemption 
in the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of our sins. Laugh on till ye ho^l 
in destruction, for despising salvation by the blood of the Lamb- 



rOOKING AT THE CROSS. 309 

lirudge so nimbly on ; I am persuaded he wished mc 
with him ; but, vile wretch that I was! I let him come 
all alone. O Mercy, that thy father and mother were 
here ; yea, and Mrs. Timorous also : nay, I wish novv" 
with all my heart, that here was madam Wanton too* 
Surelv, surelv, their hearts would be affected ; nor 
could the fear of the one, nor the powerful lusts of the 
other, prevail with them to go home again, and refuse 
to become good pilgrims.* 

Gr.-h. You speak now in the warmth of your affec- 
tioas : will it, think you, be always thus with you ? 
Besides, that is not communicated to every one, nor 
to every one that did see your Jesus bleed. There 
were that stood by, and that saw the blood run from 
his heart to the ground, and yet were so far off" this, 
that, instead of lamenting, they laughed at him ; and, 
instead of becoming his disciples, did harden their 
hearts against him. So that all that you have, my 
daughters, you have by peculiar impression, made by 
a divine contem.plating upon what I have spoken to 
you. Remember that it was told you, that the hen, by 
her common call, gives no meat to her chickens. This 
you have therefore by a special grace. f 

Now I saw still in my dream, that they went on 
until they were come to the place that Simple, and 



• O brave Christians ! See what it is to have one's heart inflamed with a 
sense of the love of Christ. Here observe tvvo thinp^-s, 1st, That when the 
affections are thus powerfully carried out, it is no uncommon thing- to be- 
lieve, that all may thus come to a savini^ knowledg-e of the truth ! 2ndly, 
Beware of thinkin,^ slightly of having- the alfections thus divinely inflnmed. 
Many poor, dry, formal professors are content with the cold liglit of the 
moon, without the genial warmth of the sun ; with clear notions of truth 
in their heads, without their hearts being warmed, and their affections car- 
ried out by the powerful influences of the love of Jesus, who says, " Asl^ 
and you shall receive, that your joy may be full," John xvi. 24. 

f Mind how tenderly Great-heart deals with Christiana. lie does not 
attempt to damp her joy, and throw cold water upon the fire of her affec- 
tions, but gently insinuates, 1st, Tiie peculiar frame of mind she speaks- 
from. 2ndly, By a gentle hint, suggests, that her indulgences were of a 
peculiar nature, bestowed upon the faithful in Christ only. And that there- 
fore, amidst all her joyful feelings, slie should know to whom she was in- 
debted for them, and give all tlie glory to the God of all grare. 



310 SIMPLEj SLOTH, AND PRESU3IPTION : 

Sloth, and Presumption, lay and slept in, when Chris- 
tian went by on pilgrimage : and, behold they were 
han,2:ed up in irons a little way off on the other side. 

Then said Mercy to him that v/as their guide and 
conductor, " What are these three men ? and for what 
are they hanged there ?" 

Gr.-h. These three men were men of bad qualities; 
they had no mind to be pilgrims themselves, and 
whomsoever they could they hindered : they were for 
sloth and folly themselves, and whomsoever they could 
persuade, they made so too ; and withal taught them 
to presume that they should do well at last. They 
were asleep when Christian went by ; and now you go 
by they are hanged."^ 

Mer. But could they persuade any one to be of their 
opinion ? 

Gr.-h. Yes, they turned several out of the way. 
There was Slov/-pace, they persuaded to do as they. 
They also prevailed with one Short -wind, with one 
No-heart, with one Linger-after-lust, and with one 
Sleepy-head, and with a young woman, her name was 
Dull, to turn out of the way and become as theyo 
Besides, they brought up an ill report of your Lord, 
persuading others that he was a hard task-master. 
They also brought up an evil report of the good land, 
saying it was not half so good as some pretended 
it was. They also began to vilify his servants, and to 
count the best of them meddlesome, troublesome busy- 
bodies : further, they would call the bread of God^ 
husks : the comforts of his children, fancies ; the tra- 
vail and labour of pilgrims, things to no purpose.! 



* God, as it were, gibbets some professors; and causes their names and 
characters to be publicly exhibited, as a terror to others. 

■{• Let us consider the characters of these three professors : 1st, Here is 
Simple, who, as Solomoo says, believeth every word, Prov. xiv. 15. a 
foolish credulous professor, who is easily led away and beguiled by smooth 
words and fair pretences of others ; ever learnhig, btit never coming to the 
knowledge of the truth, .<;o as to believe it, love it, and be established on 
it: hence liable to be carried away by every wind of doctrine. 2d, i>/oth, a 



THEIR CRIMES ENGRAVEN ON A PILLAR. 311 

Nay, said Christiana, if they were such, they should 
never be be\v'ailed by me : they have but what they 
deserve ; and I think it well that they stand so near 
the high^vay, that others may see and take warning. 
But had it not been well if their crimes had been en- 
graven on some pillar of iron or brass, and left here 
where they did their mischiefs, for a caution to other 
bad men ? 

Gr.-h. So it is, as you may well perceive, if you 
will go a little to the wall. 

Mer. No, no ; let them hang, and their names rot, 
and their crimes live for ever against them : I think it 
is a high favour that they are hanged before we came 
hither ; who knows else what they might have done to 
such poor women as we are ? — Then she turned it into 
a song, saying- — 

*' Now then you three hang there, and be a sign 
To all that shall against the truth combine. 
And let him that comes after fear this end. 
If unto pilgrims he is not a friend. 
And thou, my soul, of all such men beware, 
That unto holiness opposers are." 



quiet, easy professor, who never disturbs any one by his diligence in the 
word of God, nor his zeal for the truths and glory of God. Hence all n^en 
speak well of him ; but Christ denounces a woe against all such, Luke vi. 6. 
odly, Presumption, one who presumes to find favour with God, in a way 
which his word does not promise, or expects salvation at the end, witliout 
the means prescribed by God for attaining it. O beware of these three 
sorts of professors, for they turn many^side. Real Christians are in dan- 
ger of being seduced by them, if not of total destruction through their 
means 



'312 THE SPRING AT THE HILL DIFFICULTY- 



CHAPTER y. 

THE PILGRIMS ASCEND THE HILL DIFFICULTT, l*ASfe 
THE LIONS, AND ARRIVE AT THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL. 

Thus they went on, till they came to the foot of the 
hill Difficulty, where again their good friend Mr. Great- 
heart took an occasion to tell them what happened 
there when Christian himself went by. (c) So he h^d 
them first to the spring: Lo, saith he, this is the 
spring that Christian di^aik of before he went up this 
hill ; and then it was clear and good, but now it is dirty 
with the feet of some that are not desirous that piLq;rims 
here should quench their thirst. (<5) Thereat Mercy 
said, And why so envious, trow ? But said the guide, 
It will do, if taken up, and put into a vessel that is 
sweet and good ; for then the dirt will sink to the bot- 
tom, and the water come out by itself more clear. 
Thus therefore Christiana and her companions were 
compelled to do. They took it up, and put it into an 
earthen pot, and so let it stand till the dirt had gone to 
the bottom, cUid then they drank thereof.^ 

Next he showed them the two by-w^ays that were at 
the foot of the hill, where Formality and Hypocrisy 
lost themselves. And, said he, these are dangerous 
paths : two were here cast away when Christian came 
by. And although you see these two ways are since 
stopped up with chains, posts, and a ditch, yet they 



* This represents to us, that some preachers, as the prophet says, foul 
the water with their feet, Ezek. xxxiv 18. that is, thoug-h they preach 
somewhat about Christ, and salvation by him ; yet they so clog, mire, and 
})ollute the stream of free grace, with pre -requisites, tliat a poor, thirsty- 
soul cannot drink the water, nor allay his thirst \\ith it ; but is forced t« 
let it stand, till these gross dregs sink to the bottom. 

(a) Part L p. 93—99. (A) Ezek. xxxiv- 18. 



THE REASONS WHY lilEN CHOOSE BY-WAYS. 313 

are they which will choose to adventure here, rather 
than take the pains to go up this hill. 

Chr. " The way of transgressors is hard :"(«) it is 
a wonder that they can get into those ways without 
danger of breaking their necks. 

Gr.-h. They will venture ; yea, if at any time any 
of the king's servants do happen to see them, and doth 
call upon them, and tell them, that they are in the 
wrong ways, and do bid them beware of the danger, 
then they railingly return them answer, and say, " As 
for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name 
of the King, we will not hearken unto thee ; but we 
will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our 
mouths. "(^) Nay, if you look a little further, you 
shall see that these ways are made cautionary enough, 
not only by these posts, and ditch, and chain, but also 
hy being hedged up ; yet they will choose to go 
there.* 

Chr. They are idle; they love not to take pains; 
up-hill way is unpleasant to them. So it is fulfilled 
unto them as it is written, — *' The way of the slothful 
man is as an hedge of thorns. "(c) Yea, they will 
rather choose to walk upon a snare, than to go up this 
hill and the rest of this way to the city. 

Then they set forward, and began to go up the hill, 
and up the hill they went ; but before they got up to 
the top, Christiana began to pant, and said, I dare say 
this is a breathing hill ; no marvel if they that love 
their ease more than their souls, choose to themselves 
a smoother way. Then said Mercy, I must sit down; 
also the least of the children began to cry : Come, 
come, said Great-heart, sit not down here, for a little 



* Examine, which do you like best, self-soothing" or soul-searching- doc- 
trine ? Formalists and hypocrites love the former, and hate tlie latter. But 
the sincere and upright are discovered hy desiring to have their hearts 
searched to the quick, and their ways tried to the uttermost. 

(a) Prov. xui. 15. {b) Jcr. xllv. 16, 17. (r) Prov. xv. 19. 

4Q 



314 GREAT- HEART ENCOURAGES THE BOYS. 

above is the Prince's arbour. Then he took the Httle 
boy by the hand, and led him thereto.^ 

When they were come to the arbour, they were 
very wiiUng to sit down, for they were all in a pelting 
heat. Then said Mercy, How sweet is rest to them 
that labour !(ff) And hov^^ good is the Prince of pil= 
grims, to provide such resting places for them ! Of 
this arbour I have heard much ; but I never saw it 
before. But here let us beware of sleeping : for, as I 
have heard, for that it cost poor Christian dear. 

Then said Mr. Great-heart to the little ones, Come, 
my pretty boys, how do you do ? What think you 
now of going on pilgrimage ? Sir, said the least, I Vv^as 
almost beat out of heart : but I thank you for lending 
me a hand at m.y need. And I remember now what 
my mother hath told me, namely, that the way to hea- 
ven is as a ladder, and the way to hell is as down 
a hill. But I had rather go up the ladder to life, than 
down the hill to death. 

Then said Mercy, But the proverb is. To go down 
the hill is easy: but James said (for that was his name,) 
The day is coming, when, in my opinion, going down 
the hill will be the hardest of all. 'Tis a good boy, 
said his master ; thou hast given her a right answer. 
Then Mercy smiled, but the little boy did blush. f 

Come, said Christiana, will you eat a bit, to sweeten 
your mouths, while you sit here to rest your legs? 
For I have here a piece of pomegranate, which Mr. 
Interpreter put into my hand just when I came out of 



* He who is a strang-er to self-denial, knows not what this hill Difficulty 
means ; for the nearer to the arhour of Jesus's rest, the more difficulties in 
the way ; but the sweeter it is when attained. 

•\ This is right; when we are praised, to have a conscious blush, well 
knowing how much we have t(j be ashamed of O cry to the Lord conti- 
nually against spiritual pride, and for an humble heart, kno\^'ing thyself to 
he a poor sinner^ 

{d) I^Iatt xh 28. 



BEING REFRESHED, THEY SET FORWARD. 315 

his doors ; he gave me also a piece of an honey* comb, 
and a httle bottle of spirits. " I thought he gave you 
something," said Mercy, '^ because he called you 
aside." *' Yes, so he did," said the other. *' But," 
said Christiana, *' it shall be still as I said it should, 
when at first we came from home ; thou shalt be 
u sharer in all the good that I have, because thou 
so willingly didst become my companion." Then she 
gave to them, and they did eat, both Mercy and the 
boys. And said Christiana to Mr. Great-heart, " Sir, 
will you do as we?" But he answered, ** You are going 
on pilgrimage, and presently I shall return: much 
good may what you have do to you. At home I eat 
the same every day." Now when they had eaten and 
drank, and had chatted a little longer, their guide said 
to them. '* The day wears away ; if you think good, 
let us p epare to be going." So they got up to go, 
and the little boys went before : but Christiana forgot 
to take her bottle of spirits with her ; so she sent her 
little boy back to fetch it. Then said Mercy, " I 
think this is a losing place. Here Christian lost his 
roll ; and here Christiana left her bottle behind her ; 
Sir, what is the cause of this ?" So their guide made- 
answer, and said, *' The cause is sleep or forgetfulness : 
some sleep when they should keep awake : and some 
forget when they should remember; and this is the 
very cause, why often at the resting-places some pil- 
grims in some things come off losers. Pilgrims should 
watch and remember what they have already received 
imder their greatest enjoyments ; but for want of doing 
so, oftentimes their rejoicing ends in tears, and their 
sunshine in a cloud : — -witness the story of Christian 
at this place."* 

When they were come to the place where Mistrust 
and Timorous met Christian to persuade him to go 



* Reader, mind this well 5 remember it often ; and it will do thrc 
S^ood. 



316 THEY COiME IN SIGHT OF THE LIONS. 

back for fear of the lions, tliey perceived as it were a 
stage, and before it, towards the road, a broad plate, 
with a copy of verses written thereon, and underneath, 
the reason of raising up of that stage in that place 
rendered. The verses were — 

" Let him that sees that stage take heed. 
Upon his heart and tongue : 
Lest if he do not, here he speed 
As some have long agone." 

The words underneath the verses were, " This 
stage was built to punish some upon, who, through 
timoroiisness or mistrust^ shall be afraid to go further 
on pilgrimage : also on this stage both Mistrust and 
Timorous were burnt through the tongue Avith a hot 
iron, for endeavouring to hinder Christian on his jour- 
ney."* 

Then said Mercy, This is much like to the saying 
of the Beloved, " What shall be given unto thee ; or 
what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 
sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of the jani- 
per."(«) 

So they went on, till they came within sight of the 
lions. (/;) Now Mr. Great- heart was a strong man, so 
he was not afraid of a lion : but yet when they were 
come up to the place where the lions were, the boys 
that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they 
Avere afraid of the lions ; so they stept back and went 
behind. At this their guide smiled, and said, " How 
now, my boys ; do you love to go before when no 
danger doth approach, and love to come behind so 
soon as the lions appear?" 



* Christians, take heed to your tongues. beware, beware, lest in any 
wise you make a false report of the p^ood land, through fear or mistrust ■ 
'riie Lord notes what you boldly speak for his wa3's, and to his glory ; and 
he marks your words which in any wise have a contrary tendency. The 
1.cngue is an unruly evil. 

(a) Ts. cxx. 3, 4. (^) Part I. p. 100. 



THE LIONS BACKED BY GIANT GRIM. 317 

Now as they went on, Mr. Great-heart drew his 
sword, with intent to make a way for the pilgrims in 
spite of the lions. Then there appeared one, that it 
seems had taken upon him to back the lions ; and he 
said to the pilgrims' guide, " What is the cause of 
your coming hither ?" Now the name of that man was 
Grim, or Bloody-man, because of his slaying of pil- 
grims ; and he was of the race of the giants.^ 

Then said the pilgrims' guide. These women and 
children are going on pilgrimage ; and this is the way 
they must go^ and go it they shall, in spite of thee and 
the lions. 

Grim. This is not their way, neither shall they go 
therein. I am come forth to withstand them, and to 
that end will back the lions. 

NoWy to say the truth, by reason of the fierceness of 
the lions, and of the grim carriage of him that did 
back them, this way had of late lain much unoccupied, 
and was almost all grown over with grass. 

Then said Christiana, Though the highways have 
been unoccupied heretofore, and though the travellers 
have been made in times past to walk through by- 
paths, it must not be so now I am risen ; *' Now I am 
risen a mother in Israel. "(^) 

Then he swore by the lions, but it should: and 
therefore bid them turn aside, for they should not have 
passage there. But their guide made first his approach 
unto Grim, and laid so heavily on him with his sword, 
that he forced him to retreat. 

Then said he that attempted to back the lions, 
'* Will you slay me upon mine own ground?" 



* Who is this g^iant Grim, who backs the lions, and terrifies the hearts 
of plli^rims with a sense of danger in the right way to the kingdom ? It is 
an evil heart of unbelief This Great-heart will fight with, and conquer. 
O how does unbelief multiply dangers, and magnify difficulties : call up 
fear, and deject our hearts ! unbelief makes every danger wear a grim and 
terrible aspect. The only weapon to slay this enemy is the sword of tlie 
S"pivit, which is the word of God, Eph. vi. 17. 

(a) Judg, V. 6j T- 



BIS GREAT-HEART SLAYS GRIM* 

Gr.-h. It is the King's highway that we are in, and 
in this way it is that thou hast placed the Hons ; but 
these women and these children, though weak, shall 
hold on their way in spite of the lions. — And with that 
he gave him again a downright blow, and brought him 
upon his knees. With this blow he also broke his 
helmet, and with the next cut off an arm. Then did 
the giant roar so hideously, that his voice frighted the 
women ; and yet they were glad to see him lie sprawl- 
ing upon the ground. Now the lions were chained, 
and so of themselves could do nothing.* Wherefore, 
when old Grim, that intended to back them, was dead, 
Great- heart said to the pilgrims, " Come now, and fol- 
low me, and no hurt shall happen to you from the 
lions," They therefore went on, but the women trem- 
bled as they passed by them ; the boys also looked as 
if they would die, but they all got by without further 
hurt. 

Now, when they were within sight of the porter's 
lodge, they soon came up unto it ; but they made the 
more haste after this to go thither, because it is dan- 
gerous travelling there in the night. So when they 
were come to the gate, the guide knocked, and the 
porter cried, ** Who is there V But as soon as the 
guide had said, *' It is I," he knew his voice, and 
came down (for the guide had oft before that come 
thither as a conductor of pilgrims.) When he was 
come down, he opened the gate, and, seeing the guide 
standing just before it (for he saw not the women, for 
they were behind him,) he said unto him. How now, 
Mr. Great-heart, what is your business here so late at 
night ? "I have brought," said he *' some pilgrims 



* How often, after we have fought with the courage of faith, and the 
resolution of hope, and have overcome a grim enemy, have we seen the 
fiercest of our enemies chained by the power of God, so as not to have the 
least power to hurt us ? O pilgrim ! it is SMeet to rcfltct, that every hon- 
like foe is under the control of thy God, and cannot come one link of their 
chain nearer to thee than tlty Lord will permit. 



THE PILGRIMS COMMITTED TO WATCHFUL. 319 

hither, where, by my Lord's commandment, they 
must lodge : I had been here some time ago, had I 
not been opposed by the giant that used to back the 
hons. But I, after a long and tedious combat with 
him, have cut him off, and have brought the pilgrims 
hitlier in safety."-^ 

PoR. Will not you go in, and stay till morning? 

Gr.-k. No. I will return to my Lord to-night. 

Chr. Oh, Sir, I know not how to be willing you 
should leave us in our pilgrimage : you have been so 
faithful and so loving to us, you have fought so stoutly 
for us, you have been so hearty in counselling of us, 
that I shall never forget your favour towards us. 

Then said Mercy, Oh that we might have thy com- 
pany to our journey's end ! How can such poor women 
as we hold out in a way so full of troubles as this w^ay 
is, without a friend or defender ? 

Then said James, the youngest of the boys. Pray, 
Sir, be persuaded to go with us, and help us, because 
we are so weak, and the way so dangerous as it is. 

Gr.-h. I am at my Lord's commandment: if he 
shall allot me to be your guide quite through, I will 
willingly wait upon you. But here you failed at first; 
for when he bid me come thus far with you, then you 
should have begged me of him to have gone quite 
through with you, and he would have granted your 
request. However, at present I must withdraw ; and 
so good Christiana, Mercy, and my brave children, 
adieu. 

Then the porter, Mr. Watchful, asked Christiana of 
her country, and of her kindred: and she said, *' I' 
came from the city of Destruction ; I am a widow 



* How mindful is our Lord of us ! How gracious is he to us ? Wha?. 
blessed provisions doth he make for us ! If pilgrims are attacked by Giant 
Grrnn, and terrified with the sight of lions, they may be sure, that it is only 
a prelude to some sweet enjoyment of the Lord's love, and that they are 
near to some sweet asylum, sonie sanctuary of rest, peace and comfort. 



320 THEY ARE WELCOMED AND ENTERTAINED. 

woman, and my husband is dead ; his name was Chris- 
tian, the pilgrim." '' How !" said the porter, '' was 
he your husband ?" *' Yes," said she, '' and these his 
children; and this" (pointing to Mercy,) ^^ is one of 
my townswomen." Then the porter rang his bell, as 
at such time he is wont, and there came to the door 
one of the damsels, %vhose name was Humble-mind. 
And to her the porter said, *' Go tell it within, that 
Christiana, the wife of Christian, and her children, are 
come hither on pilgrimage." She went in, therefore, 
and told it. But, oh, what noise for gladness was 
therein, when the damsel did but drop that out of her 
mouth ! 

So they came with haste to the porter, for Christiana 
stood still at the door. Then some of the most grave 
said unto her, ^' Come in, Christiana, come in, thou 
wife of that good man ; come in, thou blessed woman, 
come in, with all that are with thee." So she went 
in, and they followed her that were her children and 
her companions. Now when they were gone in, they 
were had into a large room, and bid to sit down : so 
they sat down, and the chief of the house were called 
to see and welcome the guests. Then they came in, 
and, understanding who they were, did salute each 
other with a kiss, and said, *' Welcome, ye vessels of 
the crrace of God, welcome unto us who are vour 
faithful friends."* 

Now, because it was somewhat late, and because 
the pilgrims were wearj^ with their journey, and also 
made faint with the sight of the light, and the terrible 
lions, they desired, as soon as might be, to prepare to 



* Here is a blessed mark of being vessels of the grace of God, when we 
delight: in the sig-ht of, salute and welcome others in the way to Zion, and 
mutually have om* hearts and affections drawn out to each other in love. 
O liow sweet is the fellowship of pilgrims below ! what must it he above ! 
rnhnitcly above conception. Lord, fire our souls with the tliought of ever 
being- with thee and each other in tliy kingdom. 



CHRISTIANA AND MERCY's DISCOURSE. 321 

go to rest. " Nay," said those of the family, *' re- 
fresh yourselves with a morsel of meat :" for they had 
prepared for them a lamb, with the accustomed sauce 
thereto. *(c) For the porter had heard beiore of their 
coming, and had told it to them within. So when 
they had supped, and ended their prayer with a psalm, 
they desired they might go to rest. *' But let us," 
said Christiana, " if we may be so bold as to choose, 
be in that chamber that was my husband's when he 
was here." So they had them up thither, and the}^ all 
lay in a room.{b) When they were at rest, Christiana 
and Mercy entered into discourse about things that 
were convenient. 

Chr. Little did I think once, when my husband 
went on pilgrimage, that I should ever have followed 
him. 

Mer. And you as little thought of lying in his bed, 
and in his chamber to rest, as you do now.f 

Chr. And much less did I ever think of seeing his 
face with comfort, and of worshipping the Lord the 
King with him ; and yet now I believe I shall ! 

Mer. Hark, don't you hear a noise ? 

Chr. Yes, 'tis, as I believe, the noise of music, for 
joy that we are here. 

Mer. Wonderful! Music in the house, music in 
the heart, and music also in heaven, for joy that we are 
here !J 



* The Lamb is the food of pilgrims, and the end of their conversation. 
Header, can you feed upon Christ by faith ? Is the Lamb the nourishment 
of thy soul, and the portion of thy heart ? Canst thou say from sweet and 
blessed experience, his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed? 
Is it thy deliglit to think of him, hear of him, speak of him, abide in him, 
and live upon him I O bless him, and praise him for his mercy. 

f Pray, mind the above sweet note, " Christ's bosom is for all pilgrims." 
It is there the weary find rest, and the burdened soul ease. O for more re- 
clinings of soul upon the precious bosom of our dear Lord ! We can be 
truly happy no where else. 

t O what precious harmony is this ! how joyful to be the subjects of it, 
and to join in it ! The free sovereig-n grace of God is the delightful theme; 
and glory to God in the highest, the universal chorus. It is the wonde? 
and joy of sinners on earth, and of angels in heaven. 

(a) Exod. xii. 3. (^) John i 29. 

41 



322 MERCY TELLS CHRISTIANA HER DREAM. 

Thus they talked awhile, and then betook them- 
selves to sleep. So in the morning when they were 
awaked, Christiana said to Mercy, " What was the 
matter that you did laugh in your sleep to-night ? I 
suppose you was in a dream." 

Mer. So I was, and a sweet dream it was ; but ai'e 
you sure I laughed ? 

Chr. Yes; you laughed heartily: but pr'ythee^ 
ISlercy, tell me thy dream. 

Mer. I w^as a dreaming that I sat all alone in a so- 
litary place, and was bemoaning the hardness of my 
heart. Now I had not sat there long, but methought 
many w'ere gathered about me to see me, and to hear 
what it was that I said. So they hearkened, and I 
w^ent on bemoaning the hardness of my heart. At 
this, some of them laughed at me, some called me 
fool, and some began to thrust me about. With that, 
methought I looked up, and saw one coming with 
wrings towards me. So he came directly to me, and 
said, " Mercy, what aileth thee V Now when he had 
heard me make my complaint, he said, " Peace be to 
thee :" he also wiped mine eyes with his handkerchief, 
and clad me in silver and gold. He put a chain upon 
my neck, and ear-rings in mine ears, and a beautiful 
crown upon my head. (a) Then he took me by the 
hand, and said, " Mercy, come after me." So he 
^vent up, and I followed, till we came at a golden gate. 
Then he knocked : and, when they within had opened, 
the man w'ent in, and I followed him up to a throne, 
upon Vvdiich one sat, and he said to me, ^' Welcome, 
daughter." The place looked bright and twinkling, 
like the stars, or rather like the sun, and I thought 
that I savv- your husband there. So I aw^oke from my 
dream. But did I laugh ?-^ 



* Pray observe tliis dream : it is a most precious one Indeed. We find 
it tr'ie in the broad day of sweet experience ; for then it Is we get the most 
blessed visits from our Lord, wlien we j^et by ourselves and bemoan the 
♦ Icuelness of our poo?- hearts. True, we may be lauci-hed a<-, called fools, 

(a) Ezek. xvi. S—t?- 



Christiana's reimauk upon it. 323 

Chr. Laugh ! ay, and well you might, to see your- 
self so well. For you must give me leave to tell you, 
that it was a good dream ; and that as you have begun 
to find the first part true, so you shall find the second 
at last^ *' God sj^eaks once, yea, twice, yet man per- 
ceiveth it not ; in a dream, in a vision of the night, 
when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbering upon 
the bed."(a) We need not, when a-bed, to lie awake 
to talk with God ; he can visit us while we sleep, and 
cause us then to hear his voice. Our heart oft-times 
wakes when we sleep ; and God can speak to that, 
either by words, by proverbs, by signs and similitudes, 
as well as if one was awake. •^" 

Mer. Well, I am glad of my dream, for I hope, 
ere long, to see it fulfilled, to the making me laugh 
again. 

Chr. I think it i^ now high time to rise, and to 
know what we must do. 

Mer. Pray, if they advise us to stay awhile, let U8 
willingly accept of the proffer. I am the willinger to 
stay a while here, to grow better acquainted with these 
maids ; methinks Prudence, Piety, and Charity, have 
very comely and sober countenances. 

Chr. We shall see what they will do. — So when 
they were up and ready, they came down, and they 
asked one another of their rest, and if it was comfort- 
able or not. 

Very good, said Mercy ; it was one of the best 
night's lodgings that ever I had in my life. 



and despised b}' the profane andself-rlghteous, wliodonot feelthe hardness 
of their hearts, nor bemoan themselves for it; 3'et the loving-, compassion- 
ate, tender-hearted Saviour, is ever near to us, he feels for us, sympathizes 
with us, will manifest himself to us, and revive us with the sense of peace, 
(he joy of hope, and the comforts of love. 

* O liow blessed are they who are watchin,^ and waiting- continually to 
liear the small still voice of the Spirit, speaking rest and peace to their souls 
!)y the blood of the Lamb ! O liow condescending is our Lord, tlui« to visit 
us, and converse with us in the way to his kingdom ! 

(rt) Job xxxiil. 14—16. 



324 PRTTDENCE CATECHISES JAMES, 

Then said Prudence and Piety, If you will be pcr^ 
suaded to stay here awhile, you shall have what tte 
house will afford. 

Ay, and that with a very good will, said Charity. — 
So they consented, and staid there about a month or 
above, and became very profitable one to another. 
And, because Prudence would see how Christiana 
had brought up her children, she asked leave of her 
to catechise them : so she gave her free consent. 
Then she began with the youngest, whose name was 
James, And she said, " Come, James, canst thou tell 
me who made thee ?" 

Jam. God the Father, God the Son, and God the 
Holy Ghost. 

Pr UD. Good boy. And canst thou tell w^io saved 
thee? 

Jam. God the Father, God the Son, and God the 
Holy Ghost, 

Prud. Good boy still. But how doth God the 
Father save thee ? 

Jam. By his grace. 

Prud. How doth God the Son save thee ? 

Jam. By his righteousness, and blood, and death, 
and life. 

Prud. And how doth God the Holy Ghost save 
thee ? 

Jam. By his illumination, by his renovation, and by 
his preservation. 

Then said Prudence to Christiana, You are to be 
commended for thus bringing up your children. I 
suppose I need not ask the rest these questions, since 
the youngest of them can answer them so well. I will 
therefore now apply myself to the next youngest. 

Then she said, Come, Joseph, (for his name was Jo- 
seph,) will you let mc catechise you ? 

Jos. With all my heart. 

Prud. What is man ? 

Jo 5. A reasonable creature, made so by God, as my 
brother said. 



SAMUEL, JOSEPH, AND MATTHEW. 325 

. pRUD. What is supposed by this word, saved? 

Jos. That man by sin has brought himself into a 
state of captivity and misery. 

Pr UD. What is supposed by his being saved by the 
Trinity ? 

Jos. That sin is so great and mighty a tyrant, that 
none can pull us out of its clutches, but God ; and 
that God is so good and loving to man, as to pull him 
indeed out of this miserable state. 

pRUD. What is God's design in saving poor man? 

Jos. The glorifying of his name, of his grace, and 
justice, &c. and the everlasting happiness of his crea- 
ture. 

Prud. Who are they that must be saved ? 

Jos. Those that accept of his salvation. 

Prud. Good boy, Joseph ; thy mother hath taught 
thee well, and thou hast hearkened to what she has said 
unto thee. 

Then said Prudence to Samuel (who was the eldest 
son but one,) Come, Sunuel, are you willing that 
I should catechise you also ? 

Sam. Yes, forsooth, if you please. 

Prud. What is heaven ? 

Sam. a place and state most blessed, because God 
dwelleth there. 

Prud. What is hell ? 

Sam. a place and state most woeful, because it is 
the dwelling-place of sin, the devil, and death. 

Prud. Why wouldest thou go to heaven? 

Sam. That I may see God, and serve him without 
weariness ; that I may- see Christ, and love him ever- 
lastingly ; that I may have that fulness of the Holy 
Spirit in me, that I can by no means here enjoy. 

Pru. a very good boy, and one that has learned 
well. — Then she addressed herself to the eldest, whose 
name was Matthew ; and she said to him, Come, Mat- 
thew, shall I also catechise you ? 

Mat. With a very good will. 

Pru. I ask, then, if there was ever any thing that 
had a being antecedent to, or before God ? 



326 PRUDENCE GIVES THE BOYS GOOD COUNSEL. 

Mat. No; for God is eternal; nor is there any thing, 
excepting himself, that had a being until the beginning 
of the first day : " For in six days the Lord made 
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." 

Prud. What do you think of the Bible ? 

Mat. It is the holv word of God. 

Prud. Is there nothing written therein but what 
you understand? 

Mat. Yes, a gi*eat deal. 

Prud. What do you do when you meet with places 
therein that you do not understand ? 

Mat. I think God is wiser than L I pray also that 
he will please to let me know all therein, that he knows 
will be for my good.* 

Prud. How believe you, as touching the resurrec- 
tion of the dead? 

Mat. I believe they shall rise, the same that was 
buried ; the same in nature, though not in corruption. 
And I believe this upon a double account : — First, be- 
cause God has promised it : — secondly, because he is 
able to perform it.f 

Then said Prudence to the boys, You must still 
hearken to your mother, for she can learn you more. 
You must also diligently give ear to what good talk 
you shall hear from others : for your sakes do they 
speak good things. Observe also, and that with care- 
fulness, what the heavens and the earth do teach you ; 
but especially be much in the meditation of that book, 
•that was the cause of your father's becoming a pilgrim. 
I, for my part, my children, will teach you what I can 
while you are here, and shall be glad if you will ask 
me questions that tend to godly edifying. 



* Thoii.c^h this is answered with the simplicity of a child; yet it is, and 
ever will be, the languag-e of every father in Christ. Happy those whose 
spirits are cast into this hr.unble blessed mould ! O that this spirit may ac- 
company us in all our rese;;vches, in all our ways, and through all our days. 

I Here is the foundation of faith, and the triumph of hope, God's 
faithfulness to his promise, and his power to perform. Having these to look 
to, what should stagger our faith, or deject our hope ? We. may, we ought 
to smile at all carnal ohjeclions, and trample upon all corrapt reasonings. 



mercy's suitor : her conduct to him. 327 



CHAPTER IV. 

MR. BRISK PAYS HIS ADDRESSES TO MERCY MATTHEW 

TAKEN ILL, BUT RECOVERS, &C. 

INTOW by that these pilgrims had been at this place a 
week Mercy had a visitor that pretended some good 
will unto her, and his name is Mr. Brisk, a man of 
some breeding, and that pretended to religion ; but a 
man that stuck very close to the world. So he came 
once or twice, or more, to Mercy, and offered love unto 
her. — Now Mercy w^as of a fair countenance, and there- 
fore the more alluring. Her mind also was, to be al- 
ways busying of herself in doing ; for when she had 
nothing to do for herself, she would be making of hose 
and garments for others, and would bestow them upon 
them that had need. And Mr. Brisk, not knowmg 
where or how she disposed of what she made, seemed 
to be greatly taken, for that he found her never idle. 
" I will warrant her a good housewife," quoth he to 
himself. 

Mercv then revealed the business to the maidens 
that were of the house, and inquired of them concerning 
him ; for they did know him better than she. So they 
told her, that he was a very busy young man, and one 
that pretended to religion ; but was, as they feared, a 
stranger to the power of that which is good. 

Nay then, said Mercy, I will look no more on him ; 
for I purpose never to have a clog to my souL^" 

Prudence then replied, that there needed no great 
matter of discouragement to be given to him ; for con- 



* Most blessed resolution ! Ah, pilgrims, if you were more wary, how 
many troubles would you escape, and how much more happy would you 
be in your pilgrimage ? It is for w;*nt of thjs wisdom, that many bring evil 

nnon themselves. 



528 HE FORSAKES HER. HER REMARKS UPON IT* 

tinning so, as she had begun, to do for the poor, would 
quickly cool his counge. 

So the next time he comes, he finds her at her old 
work, a making of things for the poor. Then said he, 
'* What, always at it ?" " Yes," said she, *' either for 
myself or for others." "And what canst thou earn a 
day, quoth he." *' I do these things," said she, "that 
I may be rich in good works, laying a good foundation 
against the time to come, that I may lay hold of eternal 
life."(^) *' Why pr'ythee, what dost thou do with 
them ?" said he. " Clothe the naked," said she. 
With that his countenance fell. So he forbore to come 
at her again. And when he was asked the reason why, 
he said, that Mercy was a pretty lass, but troubled with 
ill conditions.* 

When he had left her, Prudence said. Did I not tell 
thee, that Mr. Brisk would soon forsake thee ? yea, he 
will raise up an ill report of thee : for, notwithstanding 
his pretence to religion, and his seeming love to mercy^ 
yet mercy and he are of tempers so different, that I be- 
lieve they will never come together. 

Mer. I might have had husbands before now, 
though I spoke not of it to any ; but they were such 
as did not like my conditions, though never did any of 
them find fault with my person. So they and I could 
not agree. 

Prud. Mercy in our days is little set by, any fur- 
ther than as to its name : the practice, which is set 
forth by the conditions, there are but few that can 
abide. 

Well, said Mercy, if nobody will have me, I will die 
a maid, or my conditions shall be to nie as a husband : 



* How easily are the best of characters traduced, and false constructions 
put upon the best of actions ? Reader, is tliis your lot also r Mind your duty. 
Look to your Lord. Persevere in his works and ways ; and leave your cha- 
racter with him, to whom you can trust your soul. For if God be for us, 
who shall be against us ? What shall harm us, if we be followers of that 
which is good I 



(a) 1 Tim. vi. 17—19. 



m- 



MAt'i'HEW SICK. THE PHYSICIAN'S OPIIl^ION. 529 

tbr 1 cannot change my nature ; and to have one that 
lies cross to me in this, that I purpose never to admit 
of as long as I live. 1 had a sister, named Bountiful, 
married to one of these churls : but he and she could 
never agree ; but, because my sister was resolved to 
do as she had begun, that is, to show kindness to the 
poor, therefore her husband first cried her down at the 
cross, and then turned her out of his doors. 

PriTd. And yet he was a professor, I warrant you ! 

Mer. Yes, such a one as he waSj and such as the 
world is now full of : but I am for none of them 
all.^ 

Now Matthew^ the eldest son of Christiana, fell 
sick, and his sickness was sore u[)on him, for he was 
much pained in his bowels, so that he was with it, at 
times, pulled, as it were, both ends together. f There 
dwelt also not far from thence, one Mr. Skill, an an- 
cient and well-approved physician. So Christiana de- 
sired it, and they sent for him, and he came : when he 
was entered the room, and had a little observed the 
boy, he concluded that he was sick of the gripes* 
Then he said to his mother, " Wliat diet has Mat- 
thew of late fed upon?" "Diet!" said Christiana; 
nothing but what is " wholesome." The physician 
answered j '' This boy has been tampering with some- 
thing that lies in his maw undigested, and that will 
not away without means. And I tell you he must l^e 
purged, or else he will die." 

Then said Samuel, mother, what was that which my 
brother did gather and eat, so soon as we were come 



* Though we are to beware of a censorious spirit in regard to professors, 
yet when they give evidence by their walk, tliat they are not wiiat they 
profess to be, lioly followers of the Lamb, we are by no means to be de- 
ceived by them. For we liave an unerring rule laid down by our Lord, to . 
judge of them, " ye shall know them by their fruits," Matt. vii. 16. yea^ 
and we ought to be faithful to them too, by reproving them in the spirit of 
humility and love. 

t See the effects of sin. It will pinch and gripe tljc conscience, and 
make the heart sick. 

42 



330 CHKI^TI ana's concern FOR MATTHEW* 

from the gate that is at the head of this way ? You 
know that there was an orchard on the left hand, on the 
other side of the wall, and some of the trees hung over 
the wall, and my brother did pluck and did eat.* 

True, my child, said Christiana, he did take thereof, 
and did eat ; naughty boy as he was, I chid him, and 
vet he would eat thereof. 

9/ 

Skill. I knew he had eaten something that was not 
wholesome food ; and that food^ to wit, that fruit, is 
even the most hurtful of all. It is the fruit of Beel- 
zebub's orchard. I do marvel that none did warn vou 
of it ; many have died thereof f 

Then Christiana began to cry ; and she said, " O 
naughty boy ! and O careless mother ! ^^ hat shall I do 
for my son?" 

Skill. Come, do not be too dejected; the boy may 
do well again, but he must purge and vomit. 

Chr. Pray, Sir, try the utmost of your skill with 
him, whatever it costs. 

Skill. Nay, I hope I shall be reasonable. — So he 
made him a purge, but it was too weak ; it was said, 
it was made of the blood of a goat, the ashes of a 
heifer, and with some of the juice of hyssop, &:c.(«) 
When Mr. Skill had seen that that purge was too 
weak, he made him one to the purpose ; it was made 
ex came et sanguine Christi 'X[b) (you know, physi- 



* Observe how useful pilgrims are to each other, in faithfully reminding^ 
of their conduct. Though this sin was committed some time past, and 
neither Matthew nor his mother thought of it; yet it must be brought to 
light, and repented of 

f Here is conviction for the mother, in not warning of sin, and chiding 
for it. She takes it home, falls under the sense of it, and is grieved for it. 
A tender conscience is a blessed sig i of a gracious heart. Ye parents, who 
Ivnow the love of Christ, watch over your children ; see to it, lest ye smart 
for their sins, in not warning and teaching them, that the fear of the Lord 
js to depart from all evil ; yea, to abstain from the very appearance of it. 

4: Mr.'Bunyan's great modesty and humility are truly admirable ; though 
he quotes Latin, yet as he did not understand it, he tells us in the margin, 

(a) Pleb. ix. 13—19. x. i_4. (/,> jo]i,i vi. 5~i—o7. Ileb. ix. U. 



BY MEANS OF PILLS, MATTHEW RECOVERS. 331 

cians give, strange medicines to their patients :) and it 
was made up into pills, with a promise or two, and a 
proportionable quantity of salt. (a) Now he was to take 
them three at a time, lasting, in half a quarter of a pint 
of the tears of repentance. (^) When this potion was 
prepared, and brought to the boy, he was loth to take 
it, though torn with the gripes, as if he should be pul- 
led in pieces. " Come, come," said the physician, 
*^ you must take it." ^' It goes against my stomach," 
said the boy. *' I must liiave you take it," said his 
mother. *' I shall vomit it up again," said the boy. 
'' Pray, Sir," said Christiana to Mr. Skill, *'how does 
it taste ?" ** It has no ill taste," said the doctor ; and 
with that she touched one of the pills with the tip of her 
tongue. " Oh, Matthew," said she, "this potion is 
sweeter than honey. If thou lovest thy mother, if thou 
lovest thy brothers, if thou lovest Mercy, if thou lovest 
thy life, take it." So with much ado, after a short 
prayer for the blessing of God upon it, he took it, and 
it wrought kindly with him. It caused him to purge, 
to sleep, and to rest quietly ; it put him into a fine heat 
and breathing sweat, and rid him of his gripes.* 

So in a little time he got up, and walked about with 
a staff, and would go from room to room, and talk with 
Prudence, Piety, and Charity, of his distemper, and 
how he was healed. 

So when the boy was healed, Christiana asked Mr. 
Skill, saying, *' Sir^ what will content you for your 



" the Latin I borrow." The English is, " Of the flesh and of the blood of 
Christ " This is the only potion for sin-sick souls. Feeding upon Christ's 
flesh and blood by faith, keeps us from sinning, and when sick of sin, these, 
and nothing but these, can lieal and restore us. Yet there is in our nature 
an unaccountable reluctance to receive these, through the unbelief which 
works in us. So Matthew found it. 

* See the blessed effects of receiving Christ, when under the sense of sin, 
and distress for sin. O what a precious Saviour is Jesus ! what efficacy is 
there in his blessed flesh, and precious blood, to purge the conscience from 
guilt It is this sense of Clirist's love and grace, which heals, restores, and 
makes our hearts happy and joyful in God ! 

(a) Mark ix. 49. ^b) Zech. xii. 10. 



332 EFFICACY OF THESE PILLS. 

pains and care to me, and of my child ?" And he said^ 
" You must pay the Master of the College of Physi. 
cians, according to rules made in that case, and provi- 

ded."(«) 

But, Sir, said she, what is this pill good for else ? 

Skill. It is an universal pill ; it is good against all 
diseases that pilgrims are incident to ; and, when it is 
well prepared, will keep good time out of mind. 

Chr. Pray, Sir, make me up twelve boxes of 
tliem ; for, if I can get these, I will never take other 
physic. 

Skill. These pills are good to prevent diseases, as 
well as to cure when one is sick.^ Yea, I dare say it, 
and stand to it, that if a man will but use this physic as 
he should, it will make him live for ever.(^) But good 
Christiana, thou must give these pills no other way, 
but as I have prescribed : for if you do, they will do 
no good. So he gave unto Christiana physic for her- 
self, and her boys, and for Mercy ; and bid Matthew 
take heed how he eat any more green plumbs ; and kis- 
sed him, and went his way. 

It was told you before that Prudence bid the boys, 
that if at any time they would, they should ask her 
some questions that might be profitable, and she would 
say something to them. 

Then Matthew, who had been sick, asked her, 
Why, for the most part, physic should be bitter to our 
palates ? 

Prud. To show how unwelcome the word of Godj 
and the effects thereof, are to a carnal heart. 

Mat. Why does physic, if it does good, purge, an^ 
cause to vomit ? 



* O pilgrims, let not a day pass without having recourse to the life and 
(3eati) uf 'lie Son of God, and live by faith upon him, who shed his blood 
tp save us, and gives his flesh to nourish us, and who says, " My flesh h 
meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." 

(<i} Heb. xiii. 11—15. (a) John vi. 5$. 



PRUDENCE ANSWERS MATTHEW's QUESTIONS. 333 

Prud. To show, that the word, when it works ef- 
fectuaily, cleanseth the heart and mind. For, look, 
what the one doeth to the body, the other doeth to the 
..soul. 

Mat. What should we learn by seeing the flame of 
our fire go upwards ? And by seeing the beams and 
sweet influences of the sun strike do\vnwards ? 

Prud. By the going up of the fire, we are taught 
to ascend to heaven, by fervent and hot desires. And 
by the sun sending his heat, beams, and sweet influen- 
ces downwards, we are taught that the Saviour of the 
world, though high, reaches down with his grace and 
love to us below. 

Mat. Where have the clouds their water? 

Prud. Out of the sea. 

Mat. What may we learn from that? 

Prud. That ministers should fetch their doctrine 
from God. 

Mat. Why do they empty themselves upon the 
earth ? 

Prud. To show that ministers should give out what 
they know of God to the world. 

Mat, Why is the rainbow caused by the sun? 

Prud. To show, that the covenant of God's grace 
is confirmed to us in Christ. 

Mat. Why do the springs come from the sea to us 
through the earth ? 

Prud. To show, that the grace of God comes to us 
through the body of Christ. 

Mat. Why do some of the springs rise out of the 
top of high hills ^ 

Prud. To show, that the Spirit of grace shall spring 
up in some that are great and mighty, as well as in many 
that are poor and low. 

Mat. Why doth the fire fasten upon the candlewick? 

Prud. To show, that, unless grace doth kindle 
dipon the heart, there will be no true light of life in us. 



334 THEIR QUESTIONS AN» ANSWERS CONTINUED. 

Mat. Why is the wick, and tallow, and all, spent 
to maintain the light of the candle ? 

Prud. To show, that body and soul, and all, should 
be at the service of, and spend themselves to maintain 
in good condition, that grace of God that is in us. 

Mat. Why doth the pelican pierce her own breast 
with her bill ? 

Prud. To nourish her young ones witii her blood, 
and thereby to show that Christ the blessed, so loveth 
his young, his people, as to save them from death by 
his blood. 

Mat. What may one learn by hearing of the cock 
crow ? 

Prud. Learn to remember Peter's sin, and Peter's 
repentance. The cock's crowing shows also, that day 
is coming on ; let then the crowing of the cock put 
thee in mind of that last and terrible day of judgment. 
Now about this time their month was out ; where- 
fore they signified to those of the house, that it was 
convenient for them to up and be going. Then said 
Joseph to his mother, *^ It is convenient that you forget 
not to send to the house of Mr. Interpreter, to pray 
him to grant that Mr. Great-heart should be sent unto 
us, that he may be our conductor the rest of our 
way." *' Good boy," said she, '* I had almost for- 
got." So she drew up a petition, and prayed Mr. 
Watchful the porter, to send it by some fit man, 
to her good friend Mr. Interpreter ; who, when it was 
come, and he had seen the contents of the petition, 
said to the messenger, " Go tell them that I will send 
him." 

When the family, where Christiana was, saw that 
they had a purpose to go forward, they called the ^vhole 
house together, to give thanks to their King, for send- 
ing of them such profitable guests as these. Which 
done, they said unto Christiana, " And shall v/e not 
show thee something, according as our custom is to 



eve's apple. Jacob's ladder, &c. 335 

do to pilgrims, on which thou mayest meditate when 
thou art on the way ?" So they took Christiana, her 
children, and Mercy, into the closet, and showed them 
one of the apples that Eve ate of, and that she also did 
give to her husband, and that for the eating of which, 
they were both turned out of Paradise; and asked her, 
*^ What ihe thought that was?" Then Christiana said, 
** It is food or poison, I know not which." So they 
opened the matter to her, and she held up her hands 
and wondered. *(a) 

Then they had her to a place, and showed her Ja- 
cob's ladder. Now at that time there were some an- 
gels ascending upon it. So Christiana looked, and 
looked to see the angels go up ; so did the rest of the 
company. (<^). Then they were going into another 
place, to show them something else : but James said 
to his mother, " Pray bid them stay a little longer, for 
this is a curious sight." So they turned again, and 
stood feeding their eyes on this so pleasant a pros- 
pect. — After this, they had them into a place, where 
there did hang up a golden anchor : so they bid Chris- 
tiana take it down ; for, said they, you shall ha\^e it 
with you, for it is of absolute necessity that you 
should, that you may lay hold of that within the veil, 
and stand steadfast in case you should meet with turbu- 
lent weather : — so they were glad thereof. t(c) — Then 
they took them, and had them to the mount upon 



* It is not enough that the Holy Spirit convinces us of sin, previous to our 
first setting out on pilgrimag-e, and makes us sensible of our want of Christ, 
but he also keeps up a sight and sense of the evil of sin, in its original na- 
ture, as well as our actual transgressions. This often makes us wonder at 
sin, at ourselves, and at the love of Christ in becoming a sacrifice for our 
sins, 

f This is the anchor of hope. This keeps the soul safe, and steady to 
Jesus, who is the alone object of our hope. Hope springs from faith. It 
is an expectation of the fulfilment of those things that are promised in the 
word of truth, by the God of all grace. Faith receives them, trusts in 
them, relies upon them, and hope waits for the full accomplishment and 
enjoyment of them. 

(a) Gen. iii. 1—6. Rom. vii. 24. (6) Gen. xxviii. 32. 
(r) Joel iii. 16. Heb. vi. 19. 



336 GREAT-HEART ARRIVING, THEY GO FORWARD* 

which Abraham our father had offered up Isaac his 
son, and showed them the altar, the wood, the fire, and 
the knife ; for they remain to be seen to this very day. 
When they had seen it, they held up their hands, and 
blessed themselves, and said, " Oh what a man for 
love to his Master, and for denial to himself, was 
Abraham!" After they had showed them a'l these 
things, Prudence took them into a dining room, where 
stood a pair of excellent virginals; so she played upon 
them, and turned what she had showed them into this 
excellent song, saying, 

" Eve's apple we have showed you 5 

Of that be you aware ; 
You have seen Jacob's ladder too, 

Upon which angels are : 
An anchor you received have ; 

But let not this suffice, 
Until with Abra'am you have gave 

Your best of sacrifice." 

Now about this time one knocked at the door : s6 
the porter opened, and, behold, Mr. Great -heart was 
there ! But when he was come in, what joy was there ! 
for it came now fresh again into their minds, how but 
a while ago he had slain old Grim Bloody- man the gi- 
ant, and had delivered them from the lions. 

Then said Mr. Great- heart to Christiana and to 
Mercy, My Lord has sent each of you a bottle of 
wine, and also some parched corn, together with a 
couple of pomegranates ; he also sent the boys some 
figs and raisins ; to refresh you in your way.'^' 

Then they addressed themselves to their journey ; 
and Prudence and Piety went along with them. When 
they came at the gate, Christiana asked the porter, if 
any of late went by. He said, No, only one, some 
time since, who also told nie, that of late there had 



* O how reviving- and refreshing" tcve those love-tokens from our Lord ! 
Great-heart never comes empty-handed. He always inspires with courag<?^ 
and confidence. 



•5HEY TAKE LEAVE OF WATCHFUL. 337 

been a ^rt^t robbery committed on the King's high- 
way, as you go : but, said he, the thieves are taken, 
and will shortly be tried for their lives. Then Chris- 
tiana and Mercy were afraid ; but Matthew said. 
Mother, fear nothing, as long as Mr. Great- heart is to 
go with us, and to be our conductor. 

Then said Christiana to the porter, Sir, I am much 
obliged to you for all the kindnesses that you have 
showed to me since I came hither; and also that you 
have been so loving and kind to my children ; I know 
not how to gratify your kindness : wherefore, pray, as 
a token of my respects to you, accept of this small 
mite. — So she put a gold angel* in his hand ; and he 
made her a low obeisance, and said, *' Let thy gar- 
ments be always white, and let thy head want no oint- 
ment. Let Mercy live and not die, and let not hef 
works be few." And to. the boys he said, " Do you 
flee youthful lusts, and follow after godliness with them 
that are grave and wise ; so shall you put gladness into 
your mother's heart, and obtain praise of all that are 
sober-minded,"— So they thanked the porter, and de- 
parted. 



* No wonder that the pilgrims were thankful for their kind entertain- 
ment, or that they testified their esteem of the g-ospel, and its glorious Au- 
thor, by tlie present they made to the porter ; for says St. Pavd, in behalf 
of the ministers of the word, ** If we have sown unto you spiritual things-, 
ii it a great thin"^ if we shall reap your carnal things ?" 



43 



338 (Christiana hears curious notes^ 



CHAPTER VII, 

THE PILGRIMS PURSUE THEIR JOURNEY, AND PASS 
THROUGH [HE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION, AND OF 
THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 

jS^OW I saw In my dream, that they went forward 
until they were come to the brow of the hill, where 
Piety, bethinking herself, cried out, Alas ! I have for- 
got what I intended to bestow upon Christiana and her 
companions ; I will go back and fetch it. So she ran 
and fetched it. When she was gone, Christiana 
thought she heard in a grove, a little way off on the 
right hand, a most curious melodious note, with words 
much like these : 

" Through all my life thy favour is 
So frankly shovv'd to me, 
That in thy house for evermore 
My dwelling-place shall be." 

And listening still she thought she heard another an- 
swer it, saying, 

" For why ! The Lord our God is good, 
His mercy is for ever sure ; 
His truth at all times firmly stood. 
And shall from age to age endure." 

So Christiana asked Prudence what it was that made 
those curious notes. They are, said she, our country 
birds : they sing these notes but seldom, except it be 
at the spring, when the flowers appear, and the sun 
shines warm, and then you may hear them all the day 
long. I often, said she, go to hear them ; we also oft- 
times keep them tame in our house. They are ver}^ 
fine company for us when we are melancholy ; also 
they make the woods and groves, and solitary places^ 
places desirous to be in,*{a) 



* You see, these joyful notes spring from a sense of nearness to the Lord,, 
SJ\d a firm confidence in his divine truth and everlasting mercy. O wheir 

(a) Sol. Song ii. 13, 12. 



GREAT-HEART ENCOURAGES THE PILGRIMS, 339 

By this time Piety was come again ; so she said to 
Christiana, Look here, I have brought thee a scheme 
of all those things that thou hast seen at our house, 
upon which thou mayest look when thou findest thy- 
self forgetful, and call those things again to remem- 
brance, for thy edification and comfort. 

Now they began to go down the hill to the valley of 
Humiliation. It was a steep hill, and the way was 
slippery ; but they were very careful ; so they got 
down pretty well. When they were down in the val- 
ley,* Piety said to Christiana, This is the place where 
your husband met with the foul fiend Apollyon, and 
where they had the great fight that they had : I know 
you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good 
cour.^ge ; as long as you have Mr. Great- heart here to 
be your guide and conductor, we hope you will fare 
the better. So when these two had committed the 
pilgrims unto the conduct of their guide, he went for- 
ward, and they went after. 

Then said Mr. Great-heart, We need not be so 
afraid of this valle}', for here is nothing to hurt us, un- 
less we procure it ourselves. It is true^ Christian did 
meet here with Apollyon, with whom he had also a 
sore combat ; but that fray was the fruit of those slips 
that he got in his going down the hill ; for they that 
get slips there, must look for combats here, (a) And 
hence it is that this valley has got so hard a name. 
For the common people, when they hear that some 
frightful thing has befallen such an one, in such a place, 
are of opinion that that place is haunted with some 



the Son of rig-hteonsness shines warmly on the soul, and gives us clearly 
to see these, it makes the pilgrims sing most sweetly, and shout most jo}- 
fuUy indeed. Tiiese songs approach veiy nearly to the heavenly music in 
the realm of glory. 

* After being thus highly favoured with sensible comforts in the views of 
faith, the comforts of hope, and the joys of love ; see the next step those 
pilgrims are to take ; it is down the hill Difficulty, into the valley of Hu- 
miliation. What doth this place signify ? A deep and abiding siglit and 
sense of ourselves ; of our ruined state, lost condition, and desperate cir 
cuinstances, as fallen sinners. 

(a) Part. I. p. 114—119. 



340 JAMES PERCEIVES THE PILLAB. 

foul fiend, or evil spirit ; when, alas ! it is for the fruit 
of their doing, that such things do befall them there. ^ 

This valie}^ of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a 
place as any the crow flies over ; and I am persuaded, 
if we could hit upon it, w^e might find somewhere 
hereabout something that might give us an account, 
why Christian w^as so hardly beset in this place. 

Then James said to his mother, " Lo, yonder stands 
a pillar, and it looks as if Sv^mething was written there- 
on ; let us go and see what it is." So they went, and 
found there written, *'Let Christian's slips, before he 
came hither, and the burden that he met with in this 
place, be a w^arningto those that come after." *' Lo," 
said their guide, *' did I not tell you that there was some- 
thing hereabouts, that would give intimation of the 
reason why Christian w^as so hard beset in this place ?" 
Then, turning to Christiana, he said, no disparage- 
ment to Christian, more than to many others whose 
hap and lot it was. For it is easier going up than 
down this hill, and that can be said but of few hills in 
fill these parts of the v/orld. But we will leave the 
good man, he is* at rest, he also had a brave victory 
over his enemy : let Him that dwelleth above, grant 
that we fare no worse, when we come to be tried, than 
he! 

But w^e will come again to this valley of Humilia- 
tion. — It is the best and most fruitful piece of ground 
in all these parts. It is a fat ground ; and, as you see, 
consisteth much in meadows , and if a man was to 
come liere in the summer thne, as we do now, if he 
knew not anv thine before thereof, and if he also de- 
lighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see 



* What a great blessing- is it to have Great -heart in tlie Valley of Humi- 
lily ! How sad s it for pilg-rims to procure evils for themselves by tl.eir 
sir, and folly ! Ho\V joyfui is it to know that, " like as a father pitietli his 
f:hiidfi'ii, so the Lord pitietii them who fear him !" Ps. ciii 13. Yet if we 
plip, we shall be sure to smart If we dp not hold fasi faith, hope, love^ 
and obedieiiCe, Satan will attack, distress us in some sort, and prevail 
agamsi us, and then we shuii brinij up an evil- report of the safe and frtiil-^ 
fill valley of Hurniliation. 



THE shepherd's BOY. 341 

iliat which would be dehghtful to him. Behold how 
green this valley is; also how beautiful with lilies. («) 
I have also known many labouring men that have rot 
good estates in this valley of Humiliation ; (for " God 
resisteth the proud, but giveth more grace to 'he 
humble ;") for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth 
bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished, that 
the next way -to their Father's house were here, that 
they might be troubled no more with either hills or 
moimtains to go over : but the way is the way, and 
there is an end."* 

Now as they were going along, and talking, they 
espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy \v^as 
in very me^ai clothes, but of a fresh and well-favoured 
countenance ; and as he sat by himself he sung. H trk, 
^aid Mr. Great- heart, to what the shepherd's boy saith : 
;>o they hearkened, and he said, 

*' He that is down, needs fear no fall : 

He that is low, no pride : 
He that is humble ever shall 

Have God to be his s^uide. 
I am content with what 1 have, 

Little be it or much : 
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,- 

Because thou savest such. 
Fulness to such a burden is 
' That go on pilij;rin)age : 
Here little, and hereafter bliss. 

Is best from age to age. "(6) 

Then said the guide. Do you hear him ? I will dare 
Jo say, this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more 



* Though this valley of Humiliation may be very terrifying- to pilgrims, 
after they have been favoured with peace and joy, and comforted by the 
views of fiilh and hope ; yet it is a very safe i)lace, and though at first en- 
tei ing into it, and seeing more of themselves tiian was ever before showed 
them, they may fear and tremble; yet after some time continuing here, 
they are more reconciled and contented ; for here they find the visits of 
their Lord ; and, in the depths of tlieir humility, they behold the heiglits of 
his love, and the depths of his mercy, cry out. Though 1 am emptied of all, 
yet I have an inexhaustible fulness in Jesus, to supply me with all I wantj 
and all I hope. 

(a) Sol. Song- ii. 1 James iv. 6. 1 Pet. v. 5. 
(^) Heb. xiii. v* 



342 CHRIST LOVEB TO DWELL IN THE VALLEV, 

of the herb called heart"* s-ease in his bosom, than he 
that is clad in silk and velvet. But we will proceed in 
our discourse. 

In this valley our Lord formerly had his country 
house, he loved much to be here : he loved also to 
walk in these meadows, and he found the air was plea- 
sant. Besides, here a man shall be free from the noise, 
and from the hurryings of this life ; all states are full 
of noise and confusion, only the valley of Humiliation 
is that empty and solitary place. Here a man shall not 
be let and hindered in his contemplation, as in other 
places he is apt to be. This is a valley that nobody 
w^alks in, but those that 'love a pilgrim's life. And 
though Christian had the hard hap to meet with Apol- 
lyon, and to enter with him a brisk encounter ; yet, I 
must tell you, that in form^er times men have met with 
angels here, have found pearls here, and have in this 
place found the words of life.* (a) 

Did I say, our Lord had here in former days his 
country house, and that he loved here to walk ? I will 
add, in this place, and to the people that live and trace 
these grounds, he has left a yearly revenue, to be faith- 
fully paid them at certain seasons for their maintenance 
by the way, and for their further encouragement to go 
on their pilgrimage. 

Now, as they went on, Samuel said to Mr. Great- 
heart ; " Sir, I perceive that in this valley my father and 
Apollyon had their battle ; but whereabout was the 
light? for I perceive this valley is large." 

Gr.-h. Your father had the battle with Apollyon at 
a place yonder before us, in a narrovir passage, just be- 
yond Forgetful Green. And indeed that place is the 
most dangerous place in all these parts : for if at any 



* Ever remember the word of our gracious Lord, " Tt is enou£^h for the 
disciple that he be as his Master." If your Lord made it his chief delight 
to be in tliis valley of Humiliation, learn from his example to prize this 
valley. Thou^^h you mav meet with an Apollyon, or a destroyer here ; 
yet you are safe in the arms, and vmder the power of your all-conquering" 
Lord ; for thoug-h the Lord is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly. 

{a) Kos. ii. 4, 5. 



FORGETFUL GREEN. 343 

time pilgrims meet with any brunt, it is when they for- 
get what favours they have received, and how unwor- 
thy they are of them.^ This is the place also, where 
Others have been hard put to it. — But more of the 
place when we are come to it ; For I persuade myself, 
that to this day there remains either some sign of the 
battle, or some monument to testify that such a battle 
was there fought. 

Then said Mercy, I think I am as well in this val- 
ley as I have been any where else in all our journey : 
the place, methinks, suits with my spirit. I love to be 
in such places where there is no rattling with coaches, 
nor rumbling with wheels : methinks, here one may, 
without much molestation, be thinking what he is, 
Avhence he came, what he has done, and to what the 
King has called him : here one may think, and break 
at heart, and melt in one's spirit, until one's eyes be- 
come " as the fish-pools of Heshbon." They that 
go rightly through this valley of Bacha, make it a 
well ; the rain," that God sends down from heaven 
upon them that are here, " also filleth the pools." 
This valley is that from whence also the King will give 
to them their vineyards ; (a) and they that go through 
it shall sing as Christian did, for all he met with Apol- 
lyon. 

It is true, said their guide, I have gone through this 
valley many a time, and never was l:)etter than when 
here. I have also been a conductor to several pilgrims, 
and they have confessed the same. " To this man 
will I look" (saith the King,) " even to him that is 
poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my 
word." 



* O pilgrims, attend to tliis ? Pride and ingratitude go hand in hand. 
Study, ever study the favours of your Lord : how freely they are bestowed 
upon you ; and how utterly imworthy you are of the least of thera. Beware 

Forge tj-ul Creoi' 

(a) Sol Song. V. % 4. - Ps. Ixxxiv. 5— -7. Hos. il 15. 



344 MEMORIALS OF CHRISTIANAS VICTOR Yc 

Now they were come to the place where the afore- 
mentioned battle was fought. Then said the guide to 
Christiana, her children, and Mercy, This is the place : 
on this ground Christian stood, and up there came 
Apoilyon against him : and, look, did not I tell you, 
here is some of your husband's blood upon these 
stones to this day : behold, also, how here and there are 
yet to be seen upon the place some of the shivers of 
ApoUyon's broken darts : see also how they did beat 
the ground with their feet as they fought, to make 
good their places against each other ; how also, with 
their by-blows, they did split the very stones in pieces ; 
verily Christian did here play the man, and showed 
himself as stout as Hercules could, had he been there, 
even he himself. When Apoilyon was beat, he made 
his retreat to the next valley, that is called the valley of 
the Shadow of Death, unto which we shall come anon.*^ 
Lo, yonder also stands a monument, on which is en- 
graven this battle, and Christian's victory, to his fame 
throughout all ages. 

So because it stood just on the way-side before them^ 
they stepped to it, and read the writing, which word 
for word was this : 

" Hard by here was a battle fought, 

Most strange and yet most true ;• 
Christian and Apoilyon sought 

Each other to subdue. 
The man so bravely play'd the man. 

He made the fiend to fly ; 
Of which a monument I stand, 

The same to testify."! 

When they had passed by this place, they came up- 
on the borders of the Shadow of Death, and this valley 



* If Satan be driven back froni one attack, prepare for another. Bless 
God for your armour. Never put it off. 

f Monuments of victory over Satan, are to God's glory, and are very ani- 
mating' and encouraging" to those who come after. Piocluim, O ChristianSj, 
your mercies with thankfulness, and your victories with shouts of humili' 
ty, to the honour of the Captain of our salvation. 



"iilE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OP DEATH. 345 

was longer than the other ; a place also most strongly 
haunted with evil things, as many are able to testify : 
but these women and children went the better through 
it, i^ecause they had day -light, and because Mr. Great- 
heart was their conductor. 

When they were entered upon this yalleyj they 
thought that they heard a groaning, as of dead men ; 
a very great groaning. They thought also that they 
did hear words of lamentation, spoken as of some in 
extreme torment* These things made the boys to 
quake, the women also looked pale and wan ; but 
their guide bid them be of good comfort. 

So they went on a little further ^ and they thought 
that they felt the ground begin to shake under them, as 
if some hollow place was there ; they heard also a kind 
of hissing, as of serpents, but nothing as yet appeared. 
Then said the boys, " Are we not yet at the end of 
this doleful place ?" But the guide also bid them be 
of good courage, and look well to their feet, lest hap- 
ly, said he, you be taken in some snare.* 

Now James began to be sick, but I think the cause 
thereof was fear ; so his mother gave him some of 
that glass of spirits that she had given her at the Inter- 
preter's house, and three of the pills that Mr. Skill had 
prepared ; and the boy began to revive. Thus they 
went on, till they came to about the middle of the val- 
ley ; and then Christiana said, *' Methinks, I see some- 
thing yonder upon the road before us ; a thing of a 
shape such as I have not seen." Then said Joseph,. 
*' Mother, what is it?" An ugly thing, child ; an ug- 
ly thing," said she. *' But mother, what is it like ?" 
said he. " 'Tis like, I cannot tell what," said shco 
" And now it is but a little way oiF," Then, said 
she, " It is nigh." 



* None know the distress, anguish, and fear, that haunt pilgrims in this 
yalleyj but those wlio have been in it. The hissings, reviUngs, and injec 
tions of that old serpent, with his infernal malice, seem to be let loose 
upon pilgrims in this valley. Asaph seems to be walking in this vulleyp 
when he says, " As for me, my feet were almost gone. : mv steps had well 
iligh slipt." Ps.lxxiii. 7, 

44 



346 TllEY ARE GREATLt ALARMED ; 

" Well," said Mr. Great-heart *'let them that are 
most afraid, keep close to me." So the fiend came on, 
and the conductor met it ; but when it was just come 
to him, it vanished to all their sights ; then remember- 
ed they what had been said some time ago; ** Resist 
the devil, and he will flee from you."-^ 

They w^ent therefore on, as being a little refreshed ; 
but they had not gone far, before Mercy, looking be- 
hind her, saw, as she thought, something almost like a 
lion, and it came a great padding pace after ; and it 
had a hollow voice of roaring ; and at every roar that 
it gave, it made the valley echo, and all their 
hearts to ache, save the heart of him that was their 
guide. So it came up ; and Mr. Great-heart v/ent be- 
hind, and put the pilgrims all before him. The lion 
also came on apace, and Mr. Grcr^t- heart addressed 
himself to give him battle. But when he saw that it 
was determined that resistance should be made, he al- 
so drew back and came no further. f (a) 

Then they went on again, and their conductor did 
go before them, till they came at a place where was 
cast up a pit the whole breadth of the way ; and, be- 
fore they could be prepared to go over tliat, a great 
mist and a darkness fell upon them, so that they could 
not see. Then said the pilgrims, " Alas ! now what 
shall we do ?" But their guide made answer, " Fear 
not, stand still, and see what an end will be put to this 
also." So they staid there, because their path was 



* Let Satan appear in wliat shape lie will, we ought ever to put on great 
heart and good courage. For the faith of what Jesus is to us, will inspire 
with these. Let us ever look to Christ our conqueror, and ever resist our 
adversary. 

f Satan is often rnost dreadful at a distance, and courageously resisted 
when advanced nearer. This advice is ever needful : '* Be sober ; be vi- 
gilant." These pilgrims did keep up their watch ; Satan did not come up- 
on them unawares ; they heard his approach; they were prepared for hicj 
attack ; lo, Satan drew back. 

(.<i)lPet.v. 8 



BUT TAKE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THEIR GUIDE. 347 

marred. They then also thought they did hear more 
apparently the noise and rushing of the enemies ; the 
fire also, and smoke of the pit \vas much easier to be 
discerned.^ Then said Christiana to Mercy, Now I 
see what my poor husband went through ; I have heard 
much of this place, but I never was here before now : 
Poor man ! he went here all alone, in the night ; he 
had night almost quite through the way : also these 
fiends were busy about him, as if they would have 
torn them in pieces. Many have spoke of it, but none 
can tell what the valley of the Shadow of Death should 
mean until they come in themselves. " The heart 
knows its own bitterness ; a stanger intermeddleth not 
with its joy." To be here is a fearful thing.f 

Gr.-h. This is like doing business in great wa- 
ters, or like going down into the deep ; this is like 
being in the heart of the sea, and like going down to 
the bottoms of the mountains : now it seems as if the 
earth with its bars were about us for ever. '' But let 
them that walk in darkness, and have no light, trust in 
the name of the Lord, and stay upon their God. "J 
For my part, as I have told you already, I have gone 
often through this valley, and have been much harder 
put to it than now I am ; and yet you see I am alive. 
I would not boast, for that I am not my own saviour : 
but I trust we shall have a good deliverance. Come, 
pray for light to him that can lighten our darkness, 
and can rebuke not only these, but all the devils in 
hell. 



* Awful walking-, with a pit before tis, darkness around, and hell seem- 
ing- to move from beneath to meet us ! O what an unspeakable mercy, in 
such a distressing season, to have an almig-hty Saviour to look to, and call 
upon for safety and salvation ! For he will hear our cry and save us,'* 
Psalm cxiv. 19. 

f To hear of the soul-distresses of others, is one thing : to experience 
them ourselves, is very different. 

i: This precious text, Isa. 1. 10. has been a sheet anchor to many a soul 
under darkness and distress. Study it deeply. 



348 THEY ARE TROUBLED WITH SNARES* 

So they cried and prayed, and God sent light and . 
dehverance ; for there was now no let in their way ; 
no, not there, where but now they were stopt with a 
pit. Yet they were not got through the valley ; so 
they went on still, and, behold, great stinks and loath- 
some smells, to the great annoyance of them. Then 
said Mercy to Christiana, There is not such pleasant 
being here as at the gate, or at the Interpreter's, or at 
the house where we lay last. 

O but (said one of the boys) it is not so bad to go 
through here, as it is to abide here always ; and for 
aught I know, one reason why we must go this way to 
the house prepared for us, is, that our home might be 
made the sweeter to us.* 

Well said, Samuel, quoth the guide ; thou hast now 
spoke like a man. Why, if ever I get out here again, 
said the boy, I think I shall prize light and good way 
better than ever I did in my life. Then said the guide, 
We shall be out by and by. 

So on they went, and Joseph said. Cannot we see to 
the end of this valley as yet ? Then said the guide^ 
Look to your feet, for we shall presently be among 
snares. So they looked to their feet and went on; but 
they were troubled much with the snares. Now when 
they were come among the snares, they espied a man 
cast into the ditch on the left hand, with his flesh all 
rent and torn. Then said the sfuide, That is one 
Heedless, that was going this way ; he has lain there a 
great while -.f There was one Takeheed with him when 
he was taken and slain ; but he escaped their hand^ . 



* Precious thought ! under tl^e worst and most distressing circumstances. 
Think of this. Their continuance is short. Their appointment love. And 
liheir end shall be crowned with glory. 

■j- Heedless professois be v/arned. The doctrines of gi'ace were never 
intended to lull any asleep in carnal security. If they do so by you, it is a 
-.^ure sign, that what should have been for jour healtli, proves an occasion 
v^f your falling. 

.7 



^lANT IMAUL AND GREAT- HEART. 349 

You cannot imagine how many are killed hereabouts, 
and vet men are so foolishly venturous, as to set out 
lightly on pilgrimage, and to come without a guide. 
Poor Christian ! it was a wonder that he here escaped ; 
but he was beloved of his God : also he had a good 
heart of his own, or else he could never have done it. 
Now they drew towards the end of their way, and just 
there where Christian had seen the cave when he went 
by,(«) out thence came forth Maul, a giant. This 
Muul did use to spoil young pilgrims with sophistry, 
and he called Great-heart by his name, and said unto 
him. How many times have you been forbidden to do 
these things ? Then said Mr. Great-heart, What 
things ? What things ! quoth the giant ; you know 
what things ; but I will put an end to your trade.* 
But, pray, said Mr. Great-heart, before we fall to it, 
let us understand wherefore we must fight. (Now the 
women and children stood trembling, and knew not 
what to do.) — Quoth the giant. You rob the country, 
and rob it with the worst of thieves. These are but 
generals, said Mr. Great-heart; come to particulars, 
man. 

Then said the giant. Thou practisest the craft of a 
kidnapper, thou gatherest up women and children, and 
carriest them into a strange country, to the weakening 
of my Master's kingdom. But now Great-heart re^ 
plied, I am a servant of the God of heaven ; my bii- 
siness is to persuade sinners to repentance : I am com- 
manded to do my endeavour to turn men, women, and 
children, from darkness to light, and from the power 



- * How many such giants have we in the present day, who deceive and 
beguile precious souls into a false and fatal security, by their smooth lec- 
tures on morality, and their avowed oppositions to the gospel of Christ, 
and the way to his kiiigdom. 

(a) Part I. p. 127 



S50 GREAT-HEARTS COMBAT WITH 

of Satan to God ; and if this be indeed the ground of 
thy quarrel, let us fall to it as soon as thou wilt.* 

Then the giant came up, and Mr. Great- heart went 
to meet him ; and as he went, he drew his sword, but 
the giant had a club. So widiout more ado they fell 
to it, and at the first blow the Giant struck Mr. Great- 
heart down upon one of his knees ; with that the wo- 
men and children cried : so Mr. Great- heart recover- 
ing himself, laid about him in full lusty manner, and 
gave the giant a wound in his arm ; that he fought for 
the space of an hour, to that height of heat, that the 
breath came out of the giant's nostrils, as the heat 
doth out of a boiling cauldron. 

Then they sat down to rest them, but Mr. Great- 
heart betook himself to prayer ; also the women and 
children did nothing but sigh and cry all the time that 
the battle did last.f 

When they had rested them, and taken breath, they 
both fell to it again, and Mr. Great- heart with a full 
blow, fetched the giant down to the ground : Nay, 
hold, let me recover, quoth he. So Mr. Great- heart 
let him fairly get up : so to it they went again, and the 
giant missed but a little of breaking Mr. Great-heart's 
skull with his club. 

Mr. Great-heart seeing that, runs to him in the 
full heat of his spirit, and pierced him under the fifth 
rib ; with that the giant began to faint, and could hold 
up his club no longer. Then Mr. Great-heart se- 
conded his blow, and smote the head of the giant from 
his shoulders. Then the women and children rejoiced, 



* To awaken our souls, and lead them to Christ for life and salvation, is 
the blessed work of faithful ministers. In the spirit of love and meekness, 
they will contend for the faith, however they may be ill-treated for their 
work. 

f The greatest heart cannot witlistand without prayer, nor conquer 
w ithout the almig-hty power of God. The belief of this will excite prayer 



AND VICTORY OVER GIANT MAUL. 351 

and Mr. Great-heart also praised God, for the deliver- 
ance he had wrought.* 

When this was done, they among themselves erected 
a pillar, and fastened the giant's head thereon, and wrote 
under it, in letters that passengers might read, 

He that did wear this head was one 

That pilgrims did misuse ; 
He stopt their way, he spared none, 

But did them all abuse ; 
Until that I Great-heart arose, 

The pilgrims guide to be ; 
Until that I did him oppose, 

That was their enemv. 



* Many such a battle has been fought, and many such a victory obtained, 
since the reformation, over the er^emies of our most holy faith. 

The furious attack made by Maul the giant on the conductor, is to show 
us, that lively and active ministers of the gospel, who are zealous to win 
souls, must expect the opposition of Satan and his emissaries. But must 
they therefore desist ? God forbid ! The Lord is on their side. Let them 
be accounted "kidnappers," and treated as enthxisiasts: the Master whom 
they serve will succeed their endeavours ; hear the prayers of his people ; 
and make them more than conquerors. Thus were the pilgrims brought 
out of the valley ; while danger and darkness rendered returning light, 
and the thoughts of heaven, the sweeter; and many thanksgivings re- 
dounded to the glory of God. 

By gllmm'rlng hopes, and gloomy fears. 

We trace the sacred road ; 
Tlirough dismal deeps, and dang'rous snares. 

We make our way to God. 

Long nights and darkness dwell below, 

W^ ith scarce a twinkhng ray ; 
But the bright world to wliich we go, ^^ 

Is everlasting da}-. %, 



852 tHE PiLGRIxMS ARE KEFRESHl]:U= 



CHAPTER yill. 

TilE PILGRIMS OVERTAKE MR. HONEST, WHO RELATE^ 
HIS OWN EXPERIENCE, AND THAT OF MR. FEARING. 

I^OW I saw that they went to the ascent that was a 
little way off, cast up to be a prospect for pilgrims 
(that was the place from whence Christian had the first 
sight of Faithful his brother.) (a) Wherefore here 
they sat down, and rested, they also here did eat and 
drink, and made merry ; for that they had gotten deli- 
verance from this so dangerous an enemy. As they 
sat thus and did eat, Christiana asked the guide. If he 
had caught no hurt in the battle ? Then said Mr. 
Great-heart, No, save a little on my flesh ; yet that 
also shall be so far from being to my detriment, that it 
is at present a proof of my love to my master and you, 
and shall be a means by grace, to increase my reward 
at last. 

But was you not ah'aid, good Sir, w^hen you saw him 
come with his club ?* 

It is nly duty, said he, to mistrust my own ability, 
that I may have reliance on him that is stronger than 
all. But what did you think, when he fetched you 
down to the ground at the first blow? Why, I thought, 
quoth lie, that so my master himself was served, and 
yet he it was that conquered at last.(/;) 

Matt. When you all have thought what you please, 
I think God has been wonderful good unto us, both 
in bringing us out of this valley, and delivering us out 
of the hand of this enemy ; for my part, I see no rea- 
son why we should distrust our God any more, since 



* This club we may suppose to mean human power, under which many 
godly ministers in the last century suffered greatly. Blessed be God we 
liave nothing of this to fear in our day. 

(a) Part L p. 129. {bj 2 Cor. iv. 



THEV OVER'rtiKE MR. HONEST. 35^ 

he has now, and in such a place as this, given lis such 
testimony of his love as this. 

Then they got up, and went forward : now a httle 
before them stood an oak, and under it, when they 
came to it, they found an old pilgrim fast asleep : they 
knew that he was a pilgrim by his clothes, and his staff, 
and his girdle. 

So the guide, Mr. Great-heart, awaked him ; and 
the old gentleman, as he lifted up his eyes, cried out, 
What's the matter ? Who are you ? And what is your 
business here ?* 

Gr.-h. Come, man, be not so hot, here is none but 
friends : yet the old man gets Mp, and stands upon his 
guard, and will know of them what they were. Then 
said the guide. My name is Great-heart, I am a guide 
of these pilgrims, which are going to the Celestial 
country 

Honest. Then said Mr. Honest, I cry you mercy; 
I feared that you had been of the company of those 
that some time ago did rob Little-faith of his money, 
but now I look better about me, I perceive you are 
honester people. 

Gr,-h. Why, what would, or could you have done, 
or have helped yourself, if we indeed had been of that 
company. 

Hon. Done ! Why I would have fought as long as 
breath had been in me ; and had I so done, I am 
sure you could never have given me the worst on't ; 
for a Christian can never be overcome unless he should 
yield of himself, f 

Gr.-h. Well said, father Honest, quoth the guide; 
for by this I know that thou art a cock of the right 
kind, for thou hast said the truth. 



* A blessed slg-n of a watchful heart, ever alarmed at the fear of danger, 
Though he was ibund sleeping', yet he could say with the church, " My 
heart waketh," Song v. 2- 

f Mind this. A Christian can never be overcome, unless he yields of 
himself. Then be most jedious over yourself, and most watchful against; 
g:i,ving way to carnal reasonings, natural fears, and fleslily lusts. 

45 



554 GREAT- HEART AINU HOiSEST CONVERSE TOGETHER- 

HoN. And by this also I knov/ that thou knowest 
what true pilgrimage is ; for all others do think that we 
are the soonest overcome of any. 

Gr.-h. Well, now we are happily met, pray let me 
crave your name, and the name of the place you came 
from ? 

Hon. My name I cannot, but I came from the town 
of Stupidity ; it lieth about four degrees beyond the 
city of Destruction. 

Gr.-h. Oh! are you that countryman? then I 
deem I have half a guess of you, your name is Old 
Honest, is it not ? So the old gentleman blushed, and 
said, not honest in the abstract,* but Honest is my 
name, and I wish that my nature may agree to what I 
am called. 

Hon. But, Sir, said the old gentleman, how could 
you guess ^that I am such a man, since I came from 
such a place ? 

Gr.-h. I had heard of you before, by my master ; 
for he knows all things that are done on the earth ; 
But I have often wondered that any should come from 
your place, for your town is worse than is the city of 
Destruction itself. 

Hon. Yea, we lie more off from the sun, and so are 
more cold and senseless ; but was a man in a mountain 
of ice, yet if the Sun of Righteousness will arise upon 
him, his frozen heart shall feel a thaw ; and thus it has 
been with me.f 

Gr.-h. I believe it, father Honest, I believe it; for 
I know the thine: is true. 



* Every Christian is the subject of honesty and justice, uprightness and 
sincerity ; yet when we come to describe these virtues in the abstract^ of 
what they really are in their strict purity, and utmost perfection, where is 
the Christian but must wear the conscientious blusli as Honest did, under 
a sense of his imperfections ? 

I This is the confession of an honest heart. It is never afraid of ascri- 
bing too much to the sovereignty of grace, nor of giving all the glory to 
the Sun of Highteousness, for shining upon, and melting down its hard, 
frozen soul. Here is no trimming between grace and nature. 



HONEST PRONOUNCES BLESSINGS ON THE BOYS. 355 

Then the old gentleman saluted all the pilgrims with 
a holy kiss of charity, and asked them of their names, 
and how they had fared since they set out on their pil- 
grimage. 

Chr. Then said Christiana, My name, I suppose, 
you have heard of; good Christian was my husband, 
and these four were his children. But can you think 
how the old gentleman was taken, when she told him 
who she was ! He skipped, he smiled, and blessed them 
with a thousand good wishes, saying : 

Hon. I have heard much of your husband, and of 
his travels and wars, which he underwent in his days. 
Be it spoken to your comfort, the name of your hus- 
band rings all over these parts of the world ; his faith, 
his courage, his enduring, and his sincerity under all^ 
has made his name famous. Then he turned to the 
boys, and asked them of their names, which they told 
him : and then said he unto them, Matthew, be thou 
like Matthew the publican, not in vice, but in vir- 
tue, (a) Samuel, saith he, be thou like Samuel the 
prophet, a man of faith and prayer. (/^) Joseph, saith 
he, be thou like Joseph in Potiphar's house, chaste, 
and one that flees from temptation. (<?) And James, be 
thou like James the Just, and like James the brother of 
our Lord.(f/) Then they told him of Mercy, and how 
she had left her town and her kindred to come along 
with Christiana, (<?) and with her sons. At that the old 
honest man said, Mercy is thy name : by mercy shalt 
thou be sustained, and carried through all those diffi- 
culties that shall assault thee in thy way, till thou shalt 
come thither, where thou shalt look the fountain of 
mercy in the face with comfort. 

All this while the guide, Mr. Great- heart, was very 
well pleased, and smiled upon his companions. 



</?) Matt X. 3. {b) Ps. xcix. 6. (c) Gen. xxxlx- (</) Acts i- 13, 14 
(;) Ptuth i. 16, 17. 



356 CHARACTER OF MR. FEAilING : 

Now, as they walked together, the guide asked the 
old gentleman if he did not know one Mr. Fearing^ 
that came on pilgrimage out of his parts ? 

Hon. Yes, very well, said he. He was a man that 
had the root of the matter in him ; but he was one of 
the most troublesome pilgrims that I ever met with ia 
all my days.* 

Gr.-h. I perceive you knew him; for you have 
given a very right character of him. 

Hon. Knew him ! I was a great companion of his : 
J was with him most an end ; when he first began to 
think of what would come upon us hereafter, I was with 
him. 

Gr.=h. I was his guide from my master's house to 
the gate of the celestial city. 

Hon. Then you knew him to be a troublesome 
one. 

Gr.-h, I did so ; but I could very well bear it ; for 
men of my calling are oftentimes entrusted with the 
conduct of such as he was. 

Hon. Well then, pray let us hear a little of him, and 
hov/ he managed himself under your conduct. 

Gr.-h. Why, he was always afraid that he should 
come short whither he had a desire to go. Every 
thing frighted him that he heai'd any body speak of, 
that had but the least appearance of opposition in it. 
I hear that he lay roaring at the Slough of Despond, 
for above a month together ; nor durst he, for all he 
saw several go over before him, venture, though they, 
many of them, offered to lend him their hand. He 
.^'^ould not go back again neither. The celestial city ! 



* Fearing- pilgrims, though perplexeci in themselves, and troublesome to 
Qtliers, are yet to be cherished and encouraged, as they have the root of the 
r^iatter in them : faith in Jesus, hope towards God, fear of offending him, 
and a desire to wAk in his ways, and please him. We must bear the bur- 
der,j of such, and so fulfd the law of Christ, Gal. vi. 2- ' 



HIS BEHAVIOUR AT THE PLACES HE CAME TO. 357 

he said, he should die if he came not to it ; and yet 
was dejected at every difficulty, and stumbled at every 
straw that any body cast in his way. — Well, after he 
had lain at the slough of despond a gieat while, as I 
have told you, one sun- shiny morning, I don't know 
how, he ventured, and so got over ; but when he was 
over he would scarce believe it. He had, I think, a 
slough of despond in his mind, a slough that he carried 
every where with him, or else he could never have 
been as he w?.s. So he came up to the gate (you know 
what I mean) that stands at the head of this way ; and 
there also he stood a good while, before he would ven- 
ture to knock. When the gate was opened, he would 
give back, and give place to others, and say, that he 
was not worthy : for all he got before some to the gate, 
yet many of them went in before him. There the 
poor man would stand shaking and shrinking ; I dare 
say it Vvould have pitied one's heart to have seen 
him :~nor would he go back again. At last he took 
the hammer that hanged at the gate in his hand, and 
gave a small rap or two ; then one opened to him, but 
he shrunk back as before. He that opened, stepped 
out after him, and said, *' Thou trembling one, what 
wantest thou ?" With that he fell to the ground. He 
that spake to him wondered to see him so faint. He 
said to him, *' Peace be to thee ; up, for I have set open 
the door to thee ; come in, for thou art blessed." 
With that he got up, and went in trembling; and when 
that he was in, he was ashamed to show his face. 
Well, after that he had been entertained there awhile 
(as you know how the manner is,) he was bid to go on 
his way, and also told the way he should take. So he 
went till he came to our house : but as he behaved 
himself at the gate, so he did at my master the Inter- 
preter's door. He lay thereabout in the cold a good 
while, before he would venture to call ; yet he would 
ifipt go back : and the nights were long and cold then. 



o 



58 IS ENCOURAGED AT THE INTERPRETER'S I 



Nay, he had a note of necessity in his bosom to my 
master, to receive him, and grant him the comfort of 
his house, and also to allow him a stout and valiant 
conductor, because he was himself so chicken-hearted 
a m_an ; and yet, for all that, he was afraid to call at the 
door. So he lay up and down thereabouts, till, poor 
man ! he was almost starved : yea, so great was his 
dejection, that, though he saw several others for knock- 
ing get in, yet he w^as afraid to venture. At last, 
I think, I looked out of the window, and, perceiving 
a man to be up and down about the door, I went out 
to him, and asked what he was ; but, poor man ! the 
water stood in his eyes : so I perceived what he want- 
ed. I went therefore in, and told it in the house, and 
we showed the things to our Lord : so he sent me out 
again to entreat him to come in ; but, I dare say, I had 
hard work to do it. At last, he came in ; and, I will 
say that for my Lord, he carried it wonderful loving 
to him. There were but a few good bits at the table, 
but some of it was laid upon his trencher. Then he pre- 
sented the note ; and my Lord looked thereon, and 
said his desire should be granted. So when he had 
been there a good while, he seemed to get some heart, 
and to be a little more comforted. For my master, 
you must know, is one of very tender bowels, espe- 
cially to them that are afraid : wherefore he carried it 
so towards him, as might tend most to his encourage- 
ment. Well, when he had a sight of the things of the 
place, and was ready to take his journey to go to the 
city, my Lord, as he did to Christian before, gave him 
a bottle of spirits, and some comfortable things to eat. 
Thus we set forward, and I went before him ; but the 
man was but of few words, only he would sigh aloud. 
When we were come to where the three fellows 
were hanged, he said, that he doubted that that w^ould 
be his end also. Only he seemed glad when he saw 
the Cross and the Sepulchre. There I confess he de- 



AND GLAD AT EEHOLDING THE CROSS. 359 

sired to stay a little to look, and he seemed for a while 
after to be a little comforted. When we came at the 
hill Difficulty, he made no stick at that, nor did he 
much fear the lions : for you must know, that his 
trouble was not about such things as these ; his fear 
was about his acceptance at last.^ 

I got him in at the house Beautiful, I think, before 
he was willing; also when he was in, I brought him 
acquainted with the damsels that were of the place, 
but he was ashamed to make himself much for com- 
pany ; he desired much to be alone, yet he always 
loved good talk, and often would get behind the screen 
to hear it : he also loved much to see ancient things, 
and to be pondering them in his mind. He told 
me afterward, that he loved to be in those two houses 
from which he came last, to wit, at the gate, and that 
of the Interpreter, but that he durst not be so bold as 
to ask. 

When he went also from the house Beautiful, down 
the hill, into the valley of Humiliation, he went down 
as well as ever I saw a man in my life ; for he cared 
not how mean he was, so he might be happy at last. 
Yea, I think there was a kind of sympathy betwixt 
that valley and him ; for I never saw him better in all 
his pilgrimage, than he was in that valley, f 

Here he would lie down, embrace the ground, and 
kiss the very flowers that grew in this valley. (a) He 
would now l3e up every morning by break of day, tra- 
cing and walking to and fro in the valley. J 



* See all through this character what a conflict there was between fear, 
and the hifluence of grace. Though it may not be the most comfortable, 
yet the end of Mr- Fearing was very joyful. O what a godly jealousy dis- 
played itself all through his life ! Better this than proud, vain-glorioiui 
confidence. 

t The valley of Humiliation suits well with fearing hearts. 

t Fearing souls dwell much, early and late, in the valley of Meditation, 

(a) Lam. lii. 27—29. 



360 liE IS ALARMED AT DEATH; 

But when he was come to the entrance of the val^ 
ley of the Shadow of Death, I thought I should have 
lost my man : not for that he had incHnation to go 
back (that he always abhorred,) but he was ready to 
die for fear. " Oh, the hobgoblins will have me, the 
hobgoblins will have me !" cried he ; and I could not 
beat him out on't. He made such a noise, and such 
an outcry here, that had they but heard him, it was. 
enough to encourage them to come and fall upon us. 
But this I took very great notice of, that this valley 
was as quiet when we went through it, as ever I knew 
it before or since. I suppose those here had now 
a special check from our Lord, and a commiand not to 
meddle until Mr. Fearing w^as passed over it. 

It would be too tedious to tell you of all ; we will 
therefore only mention a passage or two more. When 
he was come to Vanity Fair, I thought he would have 
fought with all the men in the fair : I feared there we 
should both have been knocked on the head, so 
hot was he against their fooleries.^" Upon the en= 
chanted ground, he also was very wakeful. But, when 
he was come at the river where was no bridge, there 
again he was in a heavy case : " Now, now," he said, 
*' he should be drowned for ever, and so never see that 
face with comfort, that he had come so many miles to 
behold.'' And here also I took notice of what was 
verv remarkable — -the water of that river was lower at 
this time than ever I saw it in all my life : so he went 
over at last, not much above vv^et-shod.f When he 
v/as going up to the gate, Mr. Great-heart began to 
take his leave of him, and to wish hira a good recep- 



* Here is a glorious display of a fearing heart. Full of courage against" 
evil, and fired with zeal for God's glory. 

f O how glorious is our Lord! as thy day is, O pilgrim, so shall thy 
strength be. Even tlie river of death, though there he no bridge to go 
over, yet faith makes one : and the Lord of faith makes the waters low, to 
suit the state of his beloved ones. 



YET X)IES TRIU^IPITANT. ^ 361 

tion above ; so he said, '' I shall, I shall ;" then parted 
we asunder, and I saw him no more. 

Hon. Then, it seems, he was well at last ? 

Gr.-h. Yes, yes, I never had a doubt about him ; 
he was a man of a choice spirit : only he was always 
kept very low, and that made his life so burdensome 
to himself, and so very troublesome to others. («) He 
was, above many, tender of sin ; he was so afraid 
of doing injuries to others, that he would often deny 
himself of that which was lawful, because he would 
not offend. *(<^) 

Hon. But what should be the reason that such 
a good man should be all his days so much in the 
dark? 

Gr.-h. There are two sorts of reasons for it; one 
is. The wise God will have it so ; some must pipe, 
and some must weep:(c) now Mr. Fearing was one 
that played upon the bass. He and his fellows sound 
the sackbut, whose notes are more doleful than notes 
of other music are : though indeed, some say, the 
bass is the ground of music. And, for my part, I 
care not at all for that profession that begins not in 
heaviness of mind. The first string that the musician 
usually touches is the bass, when he intends to put 
all in tune : God also plays upon this string first, 
when he sets the soul in tune for himself. Only there 
was the imperfection of Mr. Fearing, he could play 
upon no other music but this, till towards his latter 
end. 

[I make bold to talk thus metaphorically, for the 
ripening of the wits of young readers ; and because, 
in the book of Revelations, the saved ar^ compared to 
a company of musicians, that play upon their trum- 



* O this is a blessed spirit! Ye who are strong in the Lord, and in the 
power of his might, study to excel herein. 

'n) Ps. Uxxviii. (i) Rom. xiv. II. 1 Cor. viii. 13. (c) Matt. xi. 16—18. 

46 



362 REMARKS ON FEAUTNG's CHARACTER. 

pets and harps, and sing their songs before the 
throne. ](«) 

Hon. He was a very zealous man, as one may see 
by what relation you have given of him. Difficulties, 
lions, or Vanity Fair, he feared not at all : it was only 
sin, death, and hell, that were to him a terror; because 
he had some doubts about his interest in that celestial 
country.* 

Gr.-h. You say right ; those were the things that 
were his troubles ; and they, as you have well obser- 
ved, arose from the weakness of his mind thereabout, 
not from weakness of spirit, as to the practical part of 
a pilgrim's life. 1 dare believe, that, as the proverb is, 
*' He could have bit a fire-brand, had it stood in his 
way :" but those things, with which he was oppressed^ 
no man ever yet could shake off with ease. 

Then said Christiana, this relation of Mr. Fearing 
has done me good : I thought nobody had been like 
me ; but I see there was some resemblance betwixt 
this good man and I : only we differ in two things : 
his troubles were so great, that they brake out ; but 
mine I kept within. His also lay so hard upon him, 
they made him that he could not knock at the houses 
provided for entertainment ; but my troubles were al- 
ways such as made me knock the louder. 

Mer. If I might also speak my mind, I must say, 
that something of him has also dwelt in me ; for I 
have ever been more afraid of the lake, and the loss 
of a place in paradise, than I have been at the loss of 



* Here is a very striking lesson for professors. Talk not of your great 
knowledge, rich experience, comfortable frames and joyful feeling-s; alla^*^ 
vain and delusive, if tlie g'ospel lias not a holy influence upon your practice. 
On the other hand, be not dejected, if you are not as yet favoured \vith 
these ; for if a holy fear of God, and a godly jealousy over yourselves, pos- 
sess your heart, verily you are a partaker of the grace of Christ, and if 
faithfulj soon you shall exult in the sunshhie of his love. 

(a) Rev. viii. jiv. 2, S, 



A COMMENDATION OF GODLY FEzVR. 36S 

iSther things. O thought I, may I have the happiness 
to have a habitation there, it is enough, though I part 
with all the world to win it. 

Then said Matthew, Fear was one thing that made 
me think that I was far from having that within me 
that accompanies salvation ; but if it was so with such 
a good mail as he, why may it not also go well with 
me^ 

No fears, no grace, said James. Though there is 
not always grace where there is the fear of hell ; yet, 
to be sure, there is no grace where there is no fear of 
God. 

Gr.-h. Well said, James; thou hast hit the mark; 
for, " the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom ;" 
and, to be sure, they that want the beginning have 
neither middle nor end. But we will here conclude 
our discourse of Mr. Fearing, after we have sent after 
him his farewell. 

" Whilst, Master Fearing, thou didst fear 

Thy V .od, who wast afraid 
Of doing any thing, while here. 

That would have thee betray'd : 
And didst thou fear the lake and pit ? 

Would others did so too ! 
For, as for them, that want thy wit, 

Thev do themselves undo.'^ 



364 sELi-^\ ill's chauacter: 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE CHARACTER OF MR. SELF-WILL. 

^OW I saw that they ail went on in their talk ; 
for, after Mr. Great- heart had made an end with Mr. 
Fearing, Mr, Honest began to tell them of another, 
but his name was Mr. Self-will. He pretended him- 
self to be a pilgrim, said Mr. Honest ; but I persuade 
myself, he never came in at the gate tHat stands at the 
head of the way, 

Gr.-h. Had you ever any talk with him about it? 

Hon. Yes, more than once or twice : but he would 
always bt like himself, self-ivilled. He neither cared 
for man, nor argument, nor example ; what his mind 
prompted him to, that be would do ; and nothing else 
could he be got to.* 

Or.- II. Pray what pinciples did lie hold? for I sup- 
pose you can tell. 

Hon. He held, that a man might follow the vices as 
well as the virtues of the pilgrims ; and that if he did 
both, he should be certainly saved. 

Gr.-h. How ! if he had said, it is possible for the 
best to be guilty of the vices, as well as partake of the 
virtues of pilgrims, he could not much have been bla- 
med. For indeed we are exempted from no vice ab- 
solutely, but on condition that we watch and strive. | 
But this, I perceive, is not the thing : but, if I under- 
stand you right, your meaning is, that he was of that 
opinion, that it was allowable so to be. 

Hon. Ay, ay, so I mean ; and so he believed and 
practised. 



* Self-will ever accompanies ignorance of ourselves, and of the truth > 
and is g-enerally attended with licentious principles and practices. 

f This is a solid, scriptural definition ; pray mind it. Here it is evident 
a condition mast be admitted; and happy is the Christian wlio keeps closest 
to these conditions^ in order to enjoy peace of conscience, and joy of liearii 
\\\ Christ, 



HIS DETESTABLE OPINIONS. SGj 

Gr. H. But what grounds had he for so saying ? 

Hon. Why, he said he had the scripture for his 
warrant. 

Gr.-h. Pr'ythee, Mr. Honest, present us with a 
few particulars. 

Hon. So I wilL He said, to have to do with other 
men's wives, had been practised by David, God's be- 
loved ; and therefore he could do it. He said, to have 
more women than one, was a thing that Solomon 
practised ; and therefbre he could do it. He said, 
that Sarah and the godly midvvives of Egypt lied, and 
so did Rahab ; and therefore he could do it. He said, 
that the cUsciples went at the bidding of their Master, 
and took away the owner's ass ; and therefore he could 
do so too. He said, that Jacob got the inheritance of 
his father in a way of guile and dissimulation ; and 
therefore he could do so too.^ 

Gr»-h. Highly base, indeed ! and are you sure he 
was of this opinion ? 

Hon. I have heard him plead for it, bring scripture 
for it, bring arguments for it, &c. 

Gr.-h. An opinion that is not fit to be with any al- 
lowance in the world ! 

Hon. You must understand me rightly; he did not 
say that any man might do this ; but that those, that 
had the virtues of those that did such things, might 
also do the same. 

Gr.-h. But what more false than such a conclusion ? 
for this is as much as to say, that, because good men 
heretofore have sinned of infirmity, therefore he had 
allowance to do it of a presumptuous mind : or if, be- 
cause a child, by the blast of wind, or for that it stum- 
bled at a stone, fell down, and defiled itself in mire, 



* That licart, which is under the teaching- and influence of the grace ol' 
CTod, will detest such horrid notions, and cry out against them; God forbid 
that ever I should listen one moment to such diabolical sentiments ! for they 
are hatehcd in liell, and propa^^ated on earth, by the father of lies. 



366 FURTHER ACCOrfl^T OF SELF-WlLLo 

therefore he might wilfully lie down and wallow like a' 
boar therein. Who could have thought that any one 
could so far have been blinded by the power of lust ? 
But what is written must be true : " they stumbled at 
the word, being disobedient ; whereunto also they 
were appointed, "(o:) His supposing that such may 
have the godly man's virtues, who addict themselves 
to his vices, is also a delusion as strong as the other* 
It is just as if the dog should say, " I have, or may 
have the qualities of a child, because I lick up its 
stinking excrements." " To eat up the sin of God's 
people, "(Z*) is no sign of one that is possessed with 
their virtues. Nor can I believe, that one that is of 
this opinion, can at present have faith or love in him. — 
But I know you have made strong objections against 
him ; pr'ythee what can he say for himself? 

Hon. Why, he says, to do this by way of opinion, 
seems abundantly more honest than to do it, and yet 
hold contrary to it in opinion. 

Gr.-h. a very wicked answer; for, though to let 
loose the bridle to lusts, while our opinions are against 
such things, is bad ; yet to sin, and plead a toleration 
so to do, is worse : the one stumbles beholders acci- 
dentally, the other leads them into the snare. 

Hon. There are many of this man's mind, that have 
not this man's mouth ; and that makes going on pil- 
grimage of so little esteem as it is. 

Gr.-h. You have said the truth, and it is to be la- 
mented ; but he that feareth the King of paradise shaU 
come out of them all. 

Chr. There are strange opinions in the world: I 
know one that said it was time enough to repent when 
he came to die. 

GR.-pr. Such are not over- wise : that man would 
have been loth, might he have had a week to run 



(fl) Peter ii. 8. (/;) Ho^ea iv- 8. 



OBSERVATIONS ON OTHER FAULTY CHARACTERS. 367 

twenty miles for his life, to have deferred that journey 
to the last hour of that week. 

Hon. You say right; and yet the generality of them 
that count themselves pilgrims do indeed do thus. I 
am, as you see, an old man, and have been a traveller 
in this road many a day; and I have taken notice 
of many things.^' 

I have seen some, that set out as if they would drive 
all the world afore them, who yet have, in a few days, 
died as they in the wilderness, and so never got sight 
of the promised land, — I have seen some, that have 
promised nothing at first setting out to be pilgrims, 
and that one would have thought could not have lived 
a day, that have yet proved very good pilgrims. — 
I have seen some, who have run hastily forward, that 
again have, after a little time, run as fast just back 
again. — I have seen some who have spoken very well 
of a pilgrim's life at first, that after a while, have spo- 
ken as much against it. — I have heard some, when 
they first set out for paradise, say positively, " There 
is such a place ; who, when they have been almost 
there, have come back again, and said, " There is 
none." — I have heard some vaunt what they would 
do, in case they should be opposed, that have, even at 
a false alarm, fied faith, the pilgrim's way, and all. 



* Pray, attentively rnind, and deeply consider, the six followlnt^ observa- 
tions : they are just ; they are daily confirmed to our observntions, in the 
conduct of diiferent prgfessors. Study, said pray to improve them, to your 
soul's profit. 



368 THE PILGRIMS ESCAPE THE ROBBER?<. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE PILGRIMS ARRIVE AT THE HOUSE OP GAIUS, 
WHERE THEY ARE HOSPITABLY ENTERTAINED. 

Now as they were thus in their way, there came 
one running to meet them, and said, " Gentlemen, and 
you of the weaker sort, if you love life, shift for your- 
selves, for the robbers are i3efore you." 

Then said Mr. Great-heart, They be the three that 
set upon Little-faith heretofore. Well, said he, we 
are ready for them. So they went on their way. Now 
they looked at every turning, when they should ha^e 
met with the villains ; but, v/hether they heard of Mr. 
Great-heart, or whether they had some other game, 
they came not up to the pilgrims.^ 

Christiana then wished for an inn for herself and her 
children, because they were weary. Then said Mr. 
Honest, ^* There is one a little before us, where a ve- 
ly honourable disciple, named Gains, dwells."(a) So 
they all concluded to turn in thither : and the rather, 
because the old gentleman gave him so good a report. 
So when they came to the door, they went in, not 
knocking; for folks use not to knock at the door of an 
inn. Then they called for the master of the house, 
and he came to them. So they asked if they might 
lie there that night? 

Gaius. Yes, gentlemen, if you be true men, for 
my house is for none but pilgrims. Then was Chris- 
tiana, Mercy, and the boys, more glad, for that the 
inn-keeper was a lover of pilgrims. So they called 
for rooms, and he showed them one for Christiana and 



* It is a blessed thing to take every alarm, and to be on our guard. 
Hereby many dangers are avoided, and many evils prevented. W^atcb, is 
the v>'ord of the Cvaptain of our salvation. 

(fl) Rom. XVI. 23. 



GAITJS INQUIRES CONCERNING CHRISTIANA. 369 

her children, and Mercy, and another for Mr. Great- 
heart and the old gentleman. 

Then said Mr. Great-heart, Good Gains, what hast 
thou for supper ? for these pilgrims have come far to- 
day, and are weary. 

It is late, said Gains, so we cannot conveniently 
go out to seek food, but such as I have you shall be 
vv^elcome to, if that will content you. 

Gr.-h. We will be content with what thou hast 
in the house ; forasmuch as I have proved thee, 
thou art never destitute of that which is conve- 
nient. 

Then he went down and spake to the cook, whose 
name was Taste-that-which-is-good, to get ready sup- 
per for so many pilgrims. — This done, he comes up 
again, saying. Come, my good friends, you are welcome 
to m^ and I am glad that I have a house to entertain 
you ; and while supper is making ready, if you please, 
let us entertain one another with some good discourse : 
so they all said content.* 

Then said Gains, Whose wife is this aged matron ? 
and whose daughter is this young damsel ? 

Gr.-h. The woman is the wife of one Christian, a 
pilgrim in former times ; and these are his four chil- 
dren. The maid is one of her acquaintance ; one that 
she hath persuaded to come with her on pilgrimage. 
The boys take all after their father, and covet to tread 
in his steps : yea, if they do but see any place where 
the old pilgrim hath lain, or any print of his foot, it 
ministereth joy to their hearts, and they covet to lie or 
tread in the same. 

Then said Gains, Is this Christian's wife? and 
are these Christian's children ? I knew your hus- 
band's father, yea, also his father's father. Many 



* How does this reprove many professors of this day, who frequently 
meet togetlier, and that about every trifle, but have not one word to .sj)eak 
for precious Christ, his g-lorious truths, and holy ways ! 

47 






370 GAIUS ENUMERATES CHRISTIAN'S PROGENITORS; 

have been good of this stock ; their ancestors first 
dwelt at Antioch.(<2) Christian's progenitors (I sup- 
pose you have heard your husband talk of them) were 
very worthy men. They have, above any that I know, 
showed themselves men of great virtue and courage, 
for the Lord of the pilgrims, his ways, and them that 
loved him. I have heard of many of your husband's 
relations, that have stood all trials for the sake of the 
truth. Stephen, that was one of the first of the family 
from whence your husband sprang, was knocked on the 
head with stones.(^) James, another of this generation, 
was slain with the edge of the sword, (c) To say nothing 
of Paul and Peter, men anciently of the family from 
whence your husband came ; there was Ignatius, who 
was cast to the lions ; Romanus, whose flesh was cut 
by pieces from his bones ; and Polycarp, that played 
the man in the fire. There was he that was hanged up 
in a basket in the sun, for the wasps to eat ; and he 
whom they put into a sack, and cast him mto the sea 
to be drowned. It would be impossible utterly to 
count up all that family, that have suffered injuries and 
death for the love of a pilgrim's life. Nor can I but 
be glad to see that thy husband has left behind him 
four such boys as these. I hope they will bear up 
their father's name, and tread in their father's steps, 
and come to their father's end. 

Gr.-h. Indeed, Sir, they are likely lads: they seem 
to choose heartily their father's ways. 

Gai. That is what I said ; wherefore Christian's fa- 
mily is like still to spread abroad upon the face of the 
ground, and yet to be numerous upon the face of the 
earth : wherefore let Christiana look out some damsels 
for her sons, to whom they may be betrothed, &c. thai 
the name of their father and the house of his progeni- 
tors may ne^'cr be forgotten in the world. 



(a) Acts xl, 26, ^ (b) Acts vii. 59, 60. (c) Acts xii. 2. 



#' 



AND CONVERSES WITH HIS GUESTS. 371 

Hon. It is pity his family should flill and be 
extinct. 

Gai. Fall it cannot, but be diminished it may ; 
but let Christiana take my advice, and that's the way 
to uphold it. 

And, Christiana J said this inn^keeper, I am glad to 
see thee and thy friend Mercy together here, a lovely 
couple. And may I advise, Take Mercy into a nearer 
relation to thee : if she will, let her be given to Mat-^ 
thew, thy eldest son : it is the way to preserve a pos- 
terity in the earth,-~So this match was concluded, and 
in process of time they were married : but more of that 
hereafter. 

Gaius also proceeded, and said, I will now speak on 
the behalf of women, to take away their reproach- 
For as death and the curse came into the world by a 
woman, so also did life and health : " God sent forth 
his Son, made of a woman, "(a) Yea, to show how 
much those that came after did abhor the act of the 
mother, this sex in the Old Testament coveted chil- 
dren, if happily this or that woman might be the mo- 
ther of the Saviour of the world. I will say again, 
that when the Saviour was come, women rejoiced in 
him, before either man or angel. (<^) I read not, that 
ever man did give unto Christ so much as one groat : 
but the women followed him, and ministered to him of 
their substance* It was a woman that washed his feet 
with tears, and a woman that anointed his l)ody to the 
burial. They were women that wept, when he was 
going to the cross ; and women that followed him from 
the cross, and that sat by his sepulchre when he was 
buried. They were women that were first with hint 
at his resurrection morn ; and women that brought ti- 
dings first to his disciples, that he was risen from the 
dead.(c) Women therefore are highly favoured, and 



(a) Gen. iii. Gal. Iv. 4. (b) Luke li. (c) Luke vii. 37— 50* 

viii. 2, 3. xxiii. 27. xxiv. 22, 23-. JoUn ii. 3. xl 2. 

Mr,U. xxvii. 55— $1, 



372 THE PILGRIMS SIT DOWN TO SUPPER, 

sho^v by these things, that they are sharers with us in 
the grace of Hfe. 

Now the cook sent up to signify that supper was al- 
most ready : and sent one to lay the cloth, and the 
trenchers, and to set the salt and bread in order. 

Then said Matthew, The sight of this cloth, and of 
this forerunner of the supper, begetteth in me a greater 
appetite to my food than I had before. 

Gai. So let all ministering doctrines in this 
life, beget in thee a greater desire to sit at the supper 
of the great King in his kingdom ; for all preaching, 
books, and ordinances here, are but as the laying of the 
trenchers, and as setting of salt upon the board, when 
compared with the feast that our Lord will make us 
when we come to his house. 

So supper came up ; and first a heave-shoulder and 
a xvave-breast were set on the table before them ; to 
show that they must begin the meal with prayer and 
praise to God.(«) The heave- shoulder, David lifted 
his heart up to God with ; and with the wave-breast, 
Ivhere his heart lay, with that he used to lean upon his 
hai'p, when he played." — These two dishes were very 
fresh and good, and they all eat heartily thereof. 

The next they brought up was a bottle of wine, as' 
red as blood. So Gains said to them. Drink freely, 
this is the true juice of the vine, that makes glad the 
heart of God and man. So they drank and were 
merry. (Z>)— The next w^as a dish of milk Avell crum- 
bled : but Gaius said. Let the boys have that, that 
they may " grow thereby."(^) — Then they brought up 
in course a dish of butter and honey. Then said 
Gaius, Eat freely of this, for this is good to cheer up 
and strengthen your judgments and understandings. 
This was our Lord's dish when he was a child : 
*' Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to 
refuse the evil, and choose the good. "(of) — Then they 



(a) Lev. vii. 32—34. x. 14, 15. Ps. xxv. 1. Heb. xiii. 15. {b) Deut. xxxij. 
14. Judg. ix. 13. John xv. 5. (c) 1 Pet- ii. 1, 2. {d) Isa. vii. 15. 



• 



I'HEIR CONVERSATION AT SUPPER. 373 

brought them up a dish of apples, and they were very 
good tasted fruit. Then said Matthew, " May we eat 
apples, since they were such, by and with which the 
serpent beguiled our first mother ?" 
Then said Gains, 

" Apples were they with which we were beguird ; 
Yet sm, not apples, hath our souls defil'd: 
Apples forbid, if eat corrupt the blood ; 
To eat such when commanded does us good : 
Drink of his flaggons, then, thou church his dove, 
And eat his apples, who are sick of love.** 

Then said Matthew, I made the scruple, because, 
awhile since, I was sick with eating of fruit. 

Gai. Forbidden fruit will make you sick, but not 
what our Lord has tolerated. 

While they were thus talking, they were presented 
with another dish, and it was a dish of nuts.(flf) Then 
said some at the table, " Nuts spoil tender teeth, espe- 
cially the teeth of the children." Which when Gaius 
heard, he said, 

" Hard texts are nuts (I will not call them cheaters,} 
Whose shells do keep the kernels from the eaters ; 
Open then the shells, and you shall have the meat j 
They here are brought for you to crack and eat.*' 

Then they were very merry, and sat at the table a 
long time, talking of many things. Then said the old 
gentleman, My good landlord, while ye are cracking 
your nuts, if you please, do you open this riddle :^ 

^* A man there was (though some did count him mad,) 
The more he cast away, the more he had.'* 

Then they all gave good heed, wondering what good 
Gaius would say ; so he sat still awhile, and then thus 
replied : 

" He who thus bestows his goods upon the poor, 
Shall have as much again, and ten times more." 



* Observe here, the feast of pllgrinis was attended with joy. Cbrls- 
4i^ns may, they oug"ht, yea, they have the ^eatCfSt reason to rejoice; but 

(a) Sol. Son^s vi. 11. 



374 MATTHEW AND MERCY ARE MARRIED. 

Then said Joseph, I dare say, Sir, I did not think 
you could have found it out. 

Oh ! said Gains, I have been trained up in this way 
a great while ; nothing teaches like experience : I have 
learned of my Lord to be kind ; and have found by 
experience, that I have gained thereby. " There is 
that scattereth, yet increaseth ; and there is that with- 
holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty :" 
** There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing : 
there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great 
riches."(a) 

Then Samuel whispered to Christiana, his mother, 
and said. Mother, this is a very good man's house ; let 
us stay here a good while, and let my brother Matthew 
be married here to Mercy, before we go any further.* 

The which Gains the host overhearing, said, With a 
very good will, my child. 

So they staid here more than a month ; and Mercy 
was given to Matthew to wife. 

While they staid here, Mercy, as her custom was, 
would be making coats and garments to give to 
the poor, by which she brought up a very good report 
upon pilgrims. 



then it should be spiritual joy, wliich springs from spiritual views, and 
spiritual conversation. Let our speech be thus seasoned, and onr feasts 
thus tempered, and we shall find increasing* joy and gladness of heart in 
the Lord. 

* Here is a genuine discovery of a gracious heart ; when it is delighted 
with spiritual company and conversation, and longs for its continuance Is 
it so with you J Reader ? 

(a) Prov. xi-. 24. xiii< 7. 



A QUESTION PROPOSED AND ANSWERED. 375 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE PILGRIMS CONTINUE AT THE HOUSE OF GAIUS ; 
FROM WHENCE THEY SALLY OUT, AND DESTROY 
GIANT SLAV-GOOD, A CANNIBAL; AND RESCUE MR. 
FEEBLE- MIND. 

But to return again to our story. After supper 
the iads desired a bed, for they were weary with tra- 
velling : then Gains called, to show them their cham- 
ber : but said Mercy I will have them to bed. — So she 
had them to bed, and they slept well : but the rest sat 
up ail night : for Gains and they were such suitable 
company, that they could not tell how to part. Then 
after much talk of their Lord, themselves, and their 
journey, old Mr. Honest (he that put forth the riddle 
to Gains) began to nod. Then said Great- heart, what 
Sir, you begin to be drowsy ! come, rub up, now here 
is a riddle for you.* Then said Mr. Honest, Let us 
hear it. 

Then said Mr. Great-heart, 

" He that will kill, must first be overcome : 
Who live abroad would, first must die at home." 

Ha ! said Mr. Honest, it is a hard one, hard to ex- 
pound, and harder to practise. But come, landlord, 
said he, I will, if you please, leave my part to you ; do 
you expound it, and I will hear what you say. 

No, said Gains, it was put to you, and it is expected 
vou should answer it. 

Then said the old gentleman, 



* Mind this : When one pilgrim observes that a brother Is inclined to 
be drowsy, it is his duty, and should be his practice, to endeavour to awa- 
ken, quicken, enliven, and stir up such, by spiritual hints. O that thia 

was more practised ! Many blessings would be consequent upon it. 



376 ANOTHER QUESTION PROPOSED. 

" lie first by grace must conquer'd be, 
That sin would mortify : 
Who, that he lives, would convince me, 
Unto himself must die."* 

It is right, said Gaius ; good doctrine and expe- 
rience teaches this. For, until grace displays itself, 
and overcomes the soul with its glory, it is altogether 
without heart to oppose sin : besides, if sin is Satan's 
cords, by which the soul lies bound, how should 
it make resistance, before it is loosed from that in- 
firmity? — Nor will any, that knows either reason or 
grace, believe that such a man can be a living monu- 
ment of grace, that is a slave to his own corruption. — 
And now it comes in my mind, I will tell you a story 
worth the hearing. — There were two men that went on 
pilgrimage, the one began when he w^s young, the 
other when he was old ; the young man had strong 
corruptions to grapple with, the old man's were weak 
with the decays of nature : the young man trode his 
steps as even as did the old one, and was every way as 
light as he : w^io now, or which of them, had their 
graces shining clearest, since both seemed to be alike ? 
Hon. The young man's, doubtless. For that which 
heads it against the greatest opposition gives best de- 
monstration that it is strongest; especially when it also 
holdeth pace with that that meets not with half so much ; 
as to be sure old age does not. — Besides, I have obser- 
ved, that old men have blessed themselves with this 
mistake ; namely, taking the decays of nature for 
a gracious conquest over corruptions, and so have 
been apt to beguile themselves. Indeed, old men, 
that are gracious, are best able to give advice to them 
that arc young, because they have seen most of the 



* O this dying to self, to self-righteous pride, vain confidence, self-love, 
and self-complacency, is hard work to the old man ; yea, it is both im- 
practicable and impossible to liim. It is only grace yielded to that can 
conquer and subdue him. And where grace reigns, this work is carried 
f\n day by day. 



ANOTHER QUESTION RESOLVED. ' 577 

emptiness of things ; but yet, for an old and a young- 
man to set out both together, the young one has the 
advantage of the fairest discovery of a \^ ork of grace 
within him, though the old man's corruptions are na- 
turally the weakest. 

Thus they sat talking till break of day. Now when 
the family was up, Christiana bid her son James that 
he should read a chapter ; so he read the fifty -third of 
Isaiah. When he had done, Mr. Honest asked, why 
it was said, that the Saviour is said to come " out of a 
dry ground ;" and also that he had *' no form or come- 
liness in him." 

Then said Mr. Great-heart, To the first I answer, 
because the church of the Jews, of which Christ came, 
had then lost almost all the sap and spirit of religion. 
To the second I say, the words are spoken in the person 
of the unbeliever, who, because they want the eye that 
can see into our Prince's heai't, therefore they judge of 
him bv the meanness of his outside. Just like those 
that know not that precious stones are covered over 
with a homely crust ; who, when they have found one, 
because they know not what they have found, cast it 
again away, as men do a common stone. 

Well, said Gains, now you are here, and since, as I 
know Mr. Great-heart is good at his weapons, if you 
please, after we have refreshed ourselves, we will walk 
into the fields, to see if we can do any good. About 
a mile from hence, there is one Slay -good, a giant, that 
does much annoy the King's highway in these parts : 
and I know whereabout his haunt is : he is master of 
a number of thieves : it would be well if we could 
clear these parts of him.- 



* After feeding-, pilgrims are to prepare for fighting-. They are not to 
eat, in order to pamper .their hists, but to strengthen their bodies and souls, 
that they may be stronger in the Lord, and in the power of his might, to 
fight and conquer every enemy. 

4B 



378 thp:y assault giant slay-good. 

So they consented and went, Mr. Great-heart with 
his sword, hehnet, and shield, and the rest with spears 
and staves. 

When they came to the place where he was, they 
found him with one Feeble-mind in his hand, whom 
his servants had brought unto him, having taken him 
in the way : now the giant was rifling him, with a pur-^ 
pose, after that, to pick his bones ; for he was of the 
nature of flesh-eaters. 

Well, so soon as he saw Mr. Great-heart and his 
friends at the mouth of his cave, with their weapons, 
he demanded what they wanted, 

Gr.-h. We want thee, for we are come to revenge 
the quarrels of the many that thou hast slain of the pil- 
grims, when thou hast dragged them out of the King's 
highway ; wherefore come out of thy cave. — So he 
armed himself and came out ; and to the battle they 
went, and fought for above an hour, and then stood 
still to take wind. 

Then said the giant, Why are you here on my 
£^Tound ? 

Gr.-h. To revenge the blood of pilgrims, as I also 
told thee before. — So they went to it again, and the 
giant made Mr. Great-heart give back ; but he came 
up again, and in the greatness of his mind he let fly 
with such stoutness at the giant's head and sides, that 
he made him let his weapon fall out of his hand ; so 
he smote and slev/ him, and cut oflF his head, and 
brought it away to the inn. He also took Feeble- 
mind the pilgrim, and brought him with him to his 
lodgings. When they were come home, they showed 
his head to the family, and set it up, as they had done 
others before, for a terror to those that shall attempt to 
do as he, hereafter. 

Then thev asked Mr. Feeble-mind, how he fell into 
his hands ? 

Then said the poor man, I am a sickly man, as you 
see, and because death did usually once a day knock 



peeble-mind's account of himself. 379 

at my door, I thought I should never be well at home ; 
so I betook myself to a pilgrim's life ; and have tra- 
velled hither from the town of Uncertain, where I and 
my father were born. I am a man of no strength at 
all of body, nor yet of mind ; but would, if I could, 
though I can but crawl, spend my life in a ])ilgrim's 
way.* — When I came at the gate that is at the head 
of the way, the Lord of that place did entertain me 
freely ; neither objected he against my weakly looks, 
nor against my feeble mind ; but gave me such things 
that were necessary for my journey, and bid me hope 
to the end. — When I came to the house of the Inter- 
preter, I received much kindness there ; and because 
the hill of Difficulty was judged too hard for me, I 
was carried up that by one of his servants. — Indeed I 
have found much relief from pilgrims, though none, 
was willing to go softly as I am forced to do : yet 
still as they came on, they bid me be of good cheer, 
and said, that it was the will of their Lord, that 
*' comfort" should be given to " the feeble minded ;"(<fz) 
and so went on their own pace. — When I was come to 
Assault- lane, then this giant met with me, and bid me 
prepare for an encounter ; but, alas ! feeble one that I 
was ! I had more need of a cordial : so he came up 
and took me. I conceived he should not kill me : also 
when he had got me into his den, since I went not with 
him willingly, I believed I should come out alive 
again ; for I have heard, that not any pilgrim that is 
taken captive by violent hands, if he keeps heart-whole 
towards his master, is, by the laws of providence, to 
die by the hand of the enemy. Robbed I looked to 



* All pilgrims are not alike vigorous, strong, and lively. Some are 
weak, creep and crawl on, in the ways of the Lord. No mutter ; if" there 
be but a pilgrim's heart, all shall be well at last : for Omnipotence itself i$ 
for us : and then we may boldly ask, while we are obedient to the truths 
Who shall be against us I 

(a) 1 Thess. v. 14 




3d0 FEEBLE-ISUISD CONTINUES HIS NARRATIVE. 

be, and robbed to be sure I am ; but I am, as you see, 
escaped with life, for the which I thank my King as 
author, and you as the means. Other brunts I also 
look for, but this I have resolved on, to wit, to run 
when I can, to go when I cannot run, and to creep 
when I cannot go. As to the main, I thank him that 
loved me, I am fixed ; my way is before me, my mind 
is beyond the river that has no bridge ; though I am, 
as you see, but of a feeble mind.* 

Hon. Then said old Mr. Honest, Have not you 
some time ago been acquainted with one Mr. Fearing^ 
a pilgrim ? 

Feeble. Acquainted with him! yes: he came 
from the town of Stupidity, which lies four degrees 
northward of the city of Destruction, and as many off 
.of where I was born ; yet we were well acquainted, 
for indeed he was my uncle, my father's brother ; he 
and I have been much of a temper : he was a little 
shorter than I, but yet we were much of a complexion. 

Hon. I perceive you know him; and I am apt to 
believe also, that you were related one to another, for 
you have his whitely look, a cast like his with your 
eye, and your speech is much alike. 

Feeble. Most have said so^ that have known us 
both ; and, besides, what I have read in him, I have 
for the most part found in myself. 

Come, Sir, said good Gains, be of good cheer ; 
vou are welcome to me, and to mv house ; and what 
thou hast a mind to, call for freely ; and what thou 
wouldcst have my servants do for thee, they will 
do with a ready mind. 

Then said Mr. Feeble- mind, This is an unexpected 
favour, and as the sun- shining out of a very dark cloud. 



* What a sweet, simple relation is here ! cloth it not suit many a feeble- 
minded Christian ? Poor soul, weak as he was, yet liis Lord provided against 
liis danger. He sent some strong ones to his dehverance, and to slay his 
enemy. Mind his beUef, even in his utmost extremity. Learn somewhat 
from this Feeble -mind. 



NOT-RIGHT STRUCK DEAD. 581 

Did giant Slay- good intend me this favour when he 
stopt me, and resolved to let me go no further ? Did 
he intend, that after he had rifled my pocket, I should 
go to *' Gaius mine host ?" Yet so it is.'^ 

Now just as Mr. Feeble-mind and Gaius were thus 
in talk, there comes one running, and called at the door 
and told, that about a mile and a half off there was one 
Mr. Not-right, a pilgrim, struck dead upon the place 
where he was, with a thunder-bolt. 

Alas ! said Mr. Feeble- mind, is he slain ^ He over, 
took me some days before I came so far as hither, and 
would jpe my company-keeper : he also was with me 
when Slay- good the giant took me, but he was nimble 
of his heels, and escaped : but it seems, he escaped to 
die, and I was took to live.f 

<^ What, one would think, doth seek to slay outright, 
Oft-times delivers from the saddest plight. 
That very providence, whose face is death, 
Doth oft-times, to the lowly, life bequeath, 
I taken was, he did escape and flee : 
Hands crossed, give death to him, anjj life to me.^ 

Now about this time Matthew and Mercy were mar- 
ried :f also Gaius gave his daughter Phebe to James, 
Matthew's brother, to wife. After which time they 
staid about ten days at Gaius's house ; spending their 
time, and the seasons, like as pilgrims used to do. 



• O how sweet to reflect, the most gigantic enemy shall be conquered, 
and their most malicious desig-ns shall be over-ruled for our good : yea» 
what they intend for our ruin shall be made to work for our health and 
prosperity. 

f See the various dealings of God, and more and more adore him in all 
his ways of providence and grace. 

" Know, all the ways of God to men are just ; 
And, where yo\i can't unriddle, learn to trust." 

t The reader may remember that Mercy had sometime before refused 
the addresses of Mr. Brisk, alleging that she was determined not lo h;.ve 
a clog to her soul: but now the Lord provides an help-meet for her in Mat. 
thew, a sincere young pilgrim. Happy is the match which is made in the 
Lord, and the partners who nre united in eternal bon^ I 



382 THE HOSPITALITY OF GAIUS« 

When they were to depart, Gaius made them a 
feast, and they did eat and drink, and were merry. 
Now the hour was come that they must be gone ; 
wherefore Mr. Great-heart called for a reckoning-. But 
Gaius told him, that at his house it was not the cus- 
tom of pilgrims to pay for their entertainment. He 
boarded them by the year, but looked for his pay 
from the Good Samaritan, who had promised him, at 
his return, whatsoever charge he was at with them, 
faithfully to repay him. (a) Then said Mr. Great-heart 
to him, *' Beloved, thou doest faithfully, whatsoever 
thou doest to the bretliren and to strangers, which 
have borne witness of thy charity before the church, 
whom if thou yet bring forward on their journey, after 
a godly sort, thou shalt do well."(^) 

Then Gaius took his leave of them all, and his chil- 
dren, and particularly of Mr. Feeble-mind: he also 
gave him something to drink by the way. 



(«) Luke X. 34, 35. ib) 3 John 5, &. 



THE PILGRIMS LEAVE THE HOUSE OP GAIUS. 383 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE PILGRIMS ARE JOINED BY MR. READY- TO- HALT, 
AN!) PROCEED TO THE TOWN OF VANITY, WHB'.RE 
THEY ARE AGREEABLY LODGED BY MR. MNASON ; 
AND MEET WITH AGREEABLE COMPANY. THEY EN- 
COUNTER A FORMIDABLE MONSTER. 

Now Mr. Feeble-mind, when they were going out 
at the door, made as if he intended to Hnger. The 
which when Mr. Great-heart espied, he said, " Come, 
Mr. Feeble- mind, pray do you go along with us, I 
will be your conductor, and you shall fare as the rest." 

Feeble. Alas! I want a suitable companion; you 
are all lusty and strong ; but I, as you see, am weak ; 
I choose therefore rather to come behind, lest by reason 
of my many infirmities, I should be both a burden to 
myself and to you. I am, as I said, a man of a w^eak 
and feeble mind, and shall be oflfended and made weak 
at that which others can bear. I shall like no laughing; 
I shall like no gay attire : I shall like no unprofitable 
questions. Nay, I am so weak a man, as to be of- 
fended at that which others have a liberty to do. I do 
not know all the truth : I am a very ignorant Christian 
man : sometimes, if I hear some rejoice in the Lord, 
it troubles me, because I cannot do so too. It is with 
me, as it is with a weak man among the strong, or as 
a lamp despised. '^ He that is ready to slip with his 
feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that 
is at ease ;"(«) so that I know not what to do.^ 

But, brother, said Mr. Great-heart, I have it in 
commission to " comfort the feeble-minded," and to 



* What an open ingenuous confession is here ! though feeble in mind, he 
%vas strong in wisdom and sound judgment. 

(a) Job xii. C). 



S84 READY-TO-HALT JOINS THEM. 

support the weak. You must needs go along with 
us : we will wait for you, we will lend you our help ; 
we will deny ourselves of some things, both opiniona- 
tive and practical, for your sake ; we will not enter into 
" doubtful disputations" before you ; we will be made 
all things to you, rather than you shall be left be- 
hind.*(fl!) 

Now all this while they were at Gaius's door ; and, 
behold, as they were thus in the heat of their discourse, 
Mr. Ready-to-halt came by with his crutches in his 
hand, and he also was going on pilgrimage. (^) 

Then said Mr. Feeble-mind to him. How camest 
thou hither ? 1 was 1 ut now complaining that I had 
not a suitable companion ; but thou art according to 
my wish. Welcome, welcome, good Mr. Ready-to- 
halt, I hope thou and I may be some help. 

Ready-to-halt. I shall be glad of thy company, 
said the other ; and good Mr. Feeble- mind, rather than 
we will part, since we are thus happily met, I will lend 
thee one of my crutches. f 

Feeble. Nay, said he, though I thank thee for thy 
good-will, I am not inclined to halt before I am lame. 
Howbeit, I think when occasion is, it may help me 
against a dog. 

Ready-to-halt. If either myself or my crutches 
can do thee a pleasure, we are both at thy command, 
good Mr. Feeble- mind. 

Thus therefore they went on, Mr. Great-heart and 
Mr. Honest went before, Christiana and her children 



* O that this were more practised among Christians of different stand- 
ing-, degrees, and judgment ! if they who are strong, were thus to bea? 
with the weak, as they ought, how much more love, peace, and unanimity, 
would prevail ! 

f Excellent! See the nature of Christian love; even to be ready to spare 
foa brother, what we ourselves have occasion for. Love looketh not at xh^ 
■'hings of our own, but to provide for the wants of others. 

(Jrt) Rom. xiv. 1 Cor.Viii. 9—13. ix. 2Z: (^) Ps, xxxviii. 1? 



DISCOURSE CONCERNING CHRISTIAN, 8cC. 385 

Went next, and Mr. Feeble- mind and Mr. Readj'-to- 
halt came behind with his crutches. Then said Mr. 
Honest, Pray, Sir, now we are upon the road, tell us 
some profitable things of some that have gone on pil- 
grimage before us. 

Gr.-h. With a good will. I suppose you have 
heard how Christian of old did meet with Apollyon in 
the valley of Humiliation, and also \vhat hard work he 
had to go through the valley of the Shadow of Death. 
Also I think you cannot but have heard how Faithful 
was put to it by Madam Wanton, with Adam the First, 
with one Discontent, and Shame : four as deceitful vil- 
lains as a man can meet with upon the road. 

Hon. Yes, I believe I heard of all this : but indeed 
good Faithful was hardest put to it by Shame ; he was 
an unwearied one. 

Gr.-h. Ay : for> as the pilgrim well said, he of all 
men had the wrong name. 

Hon. But pray, Sir, w^here was it that Christian and 
Faithful met Talkative ? that same w^as a notable one* 

Gr.-h. He w^as a confident fool; yet many follow 
his wa}' s. 

Hon. He had like to have beguiled Faithful. 

Gr.-h. A}', but Christian put him into a w^ay quickly 
to find him out. 

Thus they went on till they came to the place where 
Evangelist met with Christian and Faithful, and pro- 
phesied to them what they should meet with at Vanity- 
fair. 

Then said their guide, Hereabouts did Christian and 
Faithful meet with Evangelist, who prophesied to them 
of what troubles they should meet with at Vanity-fair. 

Hon. Say you so ? I dare say it was a hard chapter 
that then he did read unto them. 

Gr.-h. It was so, but then he gave them encou- 
ragement withal. But what do we talk of them ? they 
were a couple of lion-like men ; thev had set their fa- 

49 



386 THEY ArPROACH TO THE TOWN OF VANITY"^ 

ces like flints. Do not you remember how undaunted 
they were when they stood before the judge ? 

Hon. Well, Faithful bravely suffered. 

Gr.-h. So he did, and as brave things came on't ^ 
for Hopeful and some others, as the story relates, were 
converted by his death. (a) 

Hon. Well, but pray go on ; for you are well ac- 
quainted with things.* 

Gr.-h. Above all that Christian met with after he 
had passed through Vanity-fair, one By-ends was the 
arch one. 

Hon. By-ends t What was he? 

Gr.-h. a very arch fellow, a downright hypocrite ; 
one that would be religious which way ever the world 
went : but so cunning, that he would be sure never to 
lose or suffer for it. He had his mode of religion for 
every fresh occasion, and his wife was as good at it as 
he. He would turn and change from opinion to 
opinion ; yea, and plead for so doing too. But as far 
as I could learn, he came to an ill- end with his 6y- 
ends: nor did I ever hear, that any of his children 
were ever of any esteem with any that truly fear 
God.{b) 

Now by this time they were come within sight of 
the town of Vanity, where Vanity- fair is kept. So 
when they saw that they were so near the town, they 
consulted with one another how they should pass 
thi'ough the town : and some said one thing, and some 
another. At last, Mr. Great-heart said, I have, as 
you may understand, often been a conductor of pil- 
grims through this town : now I am acquainted with 



* Nothing more profitable than conversing- on the faith, valour, and sue 
cess of tliose who liave gone before us, with their trials, enemies and dan- 
glers ; jet how gloriously they fought their w^ay through all, and came of? 
more than conquerors over all. Pilgrims love to hear these things. 

(a) Part I. p. 136—167. (b) Part I. p. 168—179. 



^HEY AIIE CORDIALLY RECEIVKD BY MR. MNASON. 38? 

one Mr. Mnason, a Cypriisian by nation, and an old 
disciple, at whose house we may lodge. If you think 
good, said he, we will turn in there.* 

Content, said old Honest ; Content, said Christiana ; 
Content, said Mr, Feeble-mind; and so they said alL 
Now you must think it was eventide by that they got 
to the outside of the town ; but Mr. Great-heart knew 
the way to the old man's house. So thither they came ; 
and he called at the door, and the old man within 
knew his tongue so soon as ever he heard it ; so he 
opened, and they all came in. Then said Mnason 
their host, *' How far have ye come to-day ?" So they 
said, *' From the house of Gains our friend." '' I 
promise you," said he, '' you have gone a good stitch ; 
you may well be weiu'y ; sit down." So they sat down. 

Then said their guide. Come, what cheer, good 
Sirs ? I dare say you are welcome to my friend. 

I also, said Mr. Mnason, do bid you welcome ; and 
whatever you want, do but say, and we will do what 
We can to ^et it for vou. 

•J ¥ 

Hon. Our great want, a while since, was harbour 
and good company ; and now I hope we have both.f 

Mnas. For harbour, you see what it is; but foi* 
good company, that will appear in the trial. 

Well, said Mr. Great- heart, will you have the pil- 
grims into their lodgings ? 

I will, said Mr. Mnason. — So he had them to their 
respective places ; and also showed them a veiy fair 
dining-room, where they might be, and sup together, 
until time was come to go to rest. 



* How happy to find a house in Vanity-fair, whose master will receive 
and entertain pilgrims. Blessed be God for the present revival of reli^^ion 
in our day ; and f )r the many houses that are open to the friends of the 
Lamb. The hearts of tlie masters of which he opens. 

t Under all our wants, may we not say, witk our Father Abrahiun God, 
will provide I Gen. xxii- 8< 



388 THEY ARE VISITED BY MNAEOn's FRIENDS, 

Now when they were set in their places, and were' 
a little cheery after their journey, Mr. Honest asked 
his landlord, if there were any store of good people in 
the town ? 

Mnas. We have a few; for indeed they are but a 
few, when compared with them on the other side. 

Hon. But how shall we do to see some of them? 
for the sight of good men to them that are going on 
pilgrimage, is like to the appearing of the moon and 
stars to them that are going a journey.* 

Then Mr. Mnason stamped with his foot, and his 
daughter Grace came up : so he said unto her, Grace, 
go you, tell my friends, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holyman, 
Mr. Love-saints, Mr. Dare-not-lie, and Mr. Penitent, 
that I have a friend or two at my house, that have a 
Blind this evening to see them. 

So Grace went to call them, and they came ; and, 
after salutation made, they sat down together at the 
table. 

Then said Mr. Mnason, their landlord. My neigh- 
bours, I have, as you see, a company of strangers 
come to my house : they are pilgrims : they come 
from afar, and are going to Mount Sion. But who, 
quoth he, do you think this is ? (pointing his fingersi 
at Christiana.) It is Christiana, the wife of Christian, 
that famous pilgrim, who with Faithful his brother^ 
were so shamefully handled in our town. — At that 
they stood amazed, saying. We little thought to see 
Christiana when Grace came to call us : wherefore 
this is a very comfortable surprise. Then they asked 
her about her welfare, and if these young men were 
her husband's sons. And when she had told them 
they were, they said, '* The King, whom you love and 



* The Inquiry of disciples after suitable company discovers that they, 
vlth David, lov^e the Lord's saints, and in the excellent of the earth is ali 
their deli^lit^ Ps. xvi. 3. A genuuie discovery this of a gvacioub heart. 



WHO bHOW THE STATE OF THE TOWIN OF VANITV. 389 

serve, make you as your father, and bring you where 
he is in peace !"^' 

Tlien Mr. Honest, when they were all sat down, 
asked Mr. Contrite, and the rest, in what posture their 
town was at present. 

CoNTR. You may be sure we are full of hurry in 
fair-time. It is hard keeping our hearts and spirits in 
good order, when we are in a cumbered condition. He 
that lives in such a place as this, and that has to do 
M'ith such as we have, has need of an ite?n^ to caution 
him to take heed every moment of the day.f 

Hon. But how are your neighbours now for quiet- 
ness ? 

CoNTR. They are much more moderate now than 
formerly. You know how Christian and Faithful were 
used at our town : but of late, I say, they have been far 
more moderate. I think the blood of Faithful lieth 
wdth load upon them till now ; for since they burned 
him, they have been ashamed to bum any more : in 
those days we were afraid to walk the streets, but now 
we can show our heads. Then the name of a profes- 
sor was odious ; now, especially in #ome parts of our 
town (for you know our town is large,) religion is 
counted honourable. t 

Then said Mr. Contrite to them. Pray how fareth it 
with you in your pilgrimage ? How stands the country 
affected towards you ? 

Hon. It happens to us as it happeneth to way-faring 
men : sometimes our way is clean, sometimes foul, 
sometimes up hill, sometimes down hill ; we are seU 
dom at a certainty : the wind is not always on our 
backs, nor is every one a friend that we meet vvith in 



* A precious prayer for the best of blessing's. 

f Mind this hint. Ma^- ii kindle a sense of danger, and excite cau- 
tion. 

i It is a mercy, when open persecution for the word abates, and religion 
ij more respected ; but how do professors in such times get cold and dead, 
grow formal and worldly ! The smiles of the town of Vanity often prova 
fPoreinjuxious than its frowns. Be on your guard, pilgriui.s. 



3^0 GREAT- HEART RELATES THEIR ADVENTURES? 

the way. We have met with some notable rubs alrea^ 
dy : and what are yet behind we know not ; but for the 
most part, we find it true that has been talked of old^ 
'. — " A good man must suffer trouble." 

CoNTR. You talk of rubs: — what rubs have you 
met withal ? 

Hon. Nay, ask Mr. Great-heart, our guide; for he 
can give the best account of that. 

Gr.-h. We have been beset three or four times al- 
ready. First, Christiana and her children were beset 
with two ruffians, that they feared would take away 
their lives. We were beset with giant Bloody- man, 
giant Maul, and giant Slay- good. Indeed, we did ra- 
ther beset the last, than were beset of him. And thus 
it was : after we had been some time at the house of 
Gaius, " mine host, and of the whole church," we were 
minded upon a time to take our weapons with us, and 
so go see if we could light upon any of those that were 
enemies to pilgrims ; for we heard that there was a no- 
table one thereabouts. Now Gains knew his haunt 
better than I, because he dwelt tliereabout; so we 
looked and looked, till at last we discerned the mouth 
of his cave ; then were we glad, and plucked up our 
spirits. So we approached up to his den ; and, lo, 
when we came there, he had dragged, by mere force in- 
to his net, this poor man, Mr. Feeble- mind, and was 
about to bring him to his end. But when he saw us, 
supposing, as we thought, he had another prey, he left 
the poor man in his house, and came out. So we fell 
to it full sore, and he lustily laid about him, but in con- 
clusion, he was brought doAvn to the ground, and his 
head cut off, and set up by the way-side, for a terror to 
such as should after practise such ungodliness. That 
I tell you the truth, here is the man himself to affirm 
it, who was as a lamb taken out of the mouth of the 
lion. 

Then said Mr. Feeble- mind, I found this true to 
my cost and comfort ; to my cost, when he threatenec} 



THEIR FURTHER CONVERSATION. 591 

to pick my bones every moment ; and to my comfort, 
when I saw Mr. Great-heart and his friends, with their 
weapons, approach so near for my deUverance. 

Then said Mr. Holyman, There are two things that 
they have need to be possessed of, that go on pilgrim- 
age ; courage, and an unspotted life. If they have not 
courage, they can never hold on their way ; and, if their 
lives be loose, they will make the very name of a pil- 
grim stink.* 

Then said Mr, Love- saint, I hope this caution is 
hot needful among you : but truly there are many that 
go up9n the road, that rather declare themselves stran- 
gers to pilgrimage, than strangers and pilgrims in the 
earth. 

Then said Mr. Dare-not-lie, It is true, they neither 
have the pilgrim's weed, nor the pilgrim's courage :' 
they go not uprightly, but all awry with their feet : one 
shoe goeth inward, another outward, and their hosen 
out behind ; here a rag, and there a rent, to the dispa- 
ragement of their Lord.f 

These things, said Mr. Penitent, they ought to be 
troubled for; nor are the pilgrims like to have that 
grace upon them, and their pilgrim's progress as they 
desire, until the way is cleared of such spots and ble- 
mishes. 

Thus they sat talking and spending the time until 
supper was set upon the table. Upon which they went 
and refreshed their weary bodies ; so they went to rest. 
Now they stayed in the fair a great while at the house 
of Mr. Mnason, who, in process of time, gave hir. 
daughter Grace unto Samuel, Christiana's son, and his 
daughter Martha to Joseph. 

The time, as I said, that they lay here was long : for 
it was not now as in former times. Wherefore the pil- 



* This Is a sound speech. Lord, grant that we, who profess the holy 
name, may take good heed to this. It is a word of conviction to many. 

f \n excellent observation, and » just reproof. May it carry conviction 
^the heart of those it suits 



392 THEY HEAR OF A MONSTEft IN THOSE PARTS. 

grims grew acquainted with many of the good people 
of the town, and did them what service they could. 
Mercy, as she was wont, laboured much for the poor 5 
wherefore their bellies and backs blessed her, and she 
was there an ornament to her profession. And, to say 
the truth for Grace, Phebe, and Martha, they Were all 
of a very good nature, and did much good in their 
places. They were also all of them very fruitful ; so 
that Christian's name, as was said before, was like to 
live in the world. 

While they lay here, there came a monster out of 
the woods, and slew many of the people of the town* 
It would also carry away their children, and teach them 
to suck its whelps. Now no man in the town durst so 
much as face this monster; but all men fled when they 
heard of the noise of his coming. The monster was 
like unto no one beast upon the earth : its body was 
*' like a dragon, and it had seven heads and ten 
horns."(^) It made great havoc of children, and yet 
it was governed by a woman. This monster propound- 
ed conditions to men, and such men as loved their lives 
more than their souls accepted of those conditions. 

Now Mr. Great-heart, together with those who came 
to visit the pilgrims at Mr. Mnason's house, entered 
into a covenant to go and engage this beast, if perhaps 
they might deliver the people of this town from the 
paws and mouth of this so devouring a serpent. 

Then did Mr. Great-heart, Mr. Contrite, Mr. Holy- 
man, Mr. Dare-not-lie, and Mr. Penitent, with their 
weapons, go forth to meet him. Now the monster, at 
first, was very rampant, and looked upon these enemies 
with great disdain ; but they so belaboured him, being 
sturdy men at arms, that they made him make a 
retreat : so they came home to Mr. Mnason's house 
again. 



(a) Rev. xii. 3. 



THEY ATTACK THE MONSTER, AND WOUND HIM. 393 

The monster,* you must know, had his certam sea- 
sons to cone out in, and to make his attempts upon 
the children of the people of the town : also these sea-v 
sons did these valiant worthies watch him in, and did 
continually assault him ; insomuch, that in process of 
time he became not only wounded, but lame ; also he 
had not made the havock of the townsmen's children as 
formerly he had done. And it is verily believed by \ 

some, that this beast will certainly die of his wounds. 
This therefore made Mr. Great-heart and his fellows 
of great fame in this town ; so that many of the peo- . 
pie, that wanted their taste of things, yet had a reverent 
esteem and respect for them. Upon this account there- 
fore it was, that these pilgrims got not much hurt here* 
True, there were some of the baser sort, that could sec 
no more than a mole, nor understand no more than a 
beast ; these had no reverence for these men, nor took 
they notice of their valour and adventures. 



* This refers (observes the Rev. Mr. Scott) to the prevalence of popeiy 
for some time before the revolution in 1688 ; by which many nominal pro- 
testants were drawn aside, and numbers of children educated in the prin- 
ciples of darkness and superstition. The favour and frown of the prince 
and liis party operated so powerfully, that worldly men in general yielded 
to the imposition : but several persons among the non-conformists, as well 
as in the established church, did eminent service at that crisis, by their 
pre.iching and writings, in exposing the delusions and abominations of the 
adherents to tlie papal see : and these endeavours were eventually the 
means of ovei'turning the plan formed for the re-establishment of popery 
in fjritaii}. 

50 



304 THEY DEPART FKOM THE HOUSE OF MNASON. 



CHAPTER XITI. 

THE PILGRIMS KILL GIANT DESPAIR, AND HIS IVIFE ; 
AND TOTALLY DEMOLISH HIS CASTLE.— -THEY PRO- 
CEED TO THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS. 

W^ELL, the time drew on that the pilgrims must go 
on their way ; therefore they prepared for their jour- 
ney. They sent for their friends ; they conferred with 
them ; they had some time set apart therein, to commit 
each other to the protection of their Prince. There 
were again that brought them of such things as they 
had, that were fit for the weak and the strong, for the 
women and the men, and so laded them with such 
things as were necessary. (a) Then they set forward 
on their w^ay; and their friends accompanying them so 
far as was convenient, they again committed each other 
to the protection of their King, and departed. 

They, therefore, that were of the pilgrims company, 
went on, and Mr. Great-heart went before them ; now 
the women and children being weakly, they wtrc for- 
ced to go as they could bear; by this means Mn 
Ready-to-halt and Mr. Feeble-mind had more to sym- 
pathize with their condition. 

When they were gone from the townsmen, and 
when their friends had bid them farewell, they quickly 
came to the place where Faithful was put to death : 
therefore they made a stand, and thanked Him that had 
enabled him to bear his cross so well ; and the rather, 
because they now found that they had a benefit by such 
a man's sufferings as he was. They went on, therefore, 
after this a good way further, talking of Christian and 
Faithful ; and how Hopeful joined himself to Christian^ 
after that Faithful was dead. (6) 

(a) Acts xxviii. 10. (b) Part I. p. 163. 



THEY AllRlYE AT THE WATER OF LIFE. 395 

Now they were come up with the hill Lucre, where 
the silver mine was, which took Demas oft' from his 
pilgrimage, and into which, as some think, By-ends 
fell and perished : wherefore they considered that. 
But when they were come to the old monument that 
stood over against the hill Lucre, to wit, to the pillar 
of salt, that stood also within the view of Sodom and 
its stinking i'dke,{a) they marvelled, as did Christian 
before, that men of that knowledge and ripeness of 
wit, as they were, should be so blind as to turn aside 
here. Only they considered again, that nature is not 
affected with the harms that others have met with, es- 
pecially if that thing, upon which they look, has an at- 
tracting virtue upon the foolish eye. 

I saw now that they went on till they came to the 
river that was on this side of the Delectable Moun- 
tains(<^) — -to the river where the fine trees grow on both 
sides, and whose leaves, if taken inwardly, are good 
against surfeits ;{c) where the meadows are green all the 
year long, and where they might lie down safely. 

By this river side, in the meadows, there were cotes 
and folds for sheep, a house built for the nourishing 
and bringing up of those lambs, the babes of those 
women that go on pilgrimage. Also there was here 
one that was entrusted with them, who could have com- 
passion, and that could gather these lambs with his 
arm, and carry them in his bosom, and that could 
gently lead those that were with young. (of) Now to 
the care of this man Christiana admonished her four 
daughters to commit their little ones, that by these 
Waters they might be housed, harboured, succoured, 
and nourished, and that none of them might be lacking 
in time to come. This man, if any of them go astray, 
or be lost, he will bring them back again ; he will also 
bind up that which was broken, ahd will strengthen 



(«) Part I. p. 177. (b) Part I. p. 182. (c) Ps. xsiii. (c/) Heb. v. 2. Is. Ixili. 



390 AN HOSPITAL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, 

them that are sick. (a) Here they will never want mea^^ 
drink, and clothing ; here they will be kept from 
thieves and robbers : for this man will die before one 
of those committed to his trust shall be lost. Besides, 
here they shall be sure to have good nurture and ad- 
monition ; and shall be taught to walk in right paths ; 
and that, you know, is a favour of no small account. 

Also here, as you see, are delicate waters, pleasant 
meadows, dainty flowers, variety of trees, and such 
as bear wholesome fruit : fruit not like that which 
Matthew eat of, that fell over the wall out of Beelze- 
bub's garden ; but fruit that procureth health where 
there is none, and that continueth and increaseth where 
it is.* 

So they were content to commit their little ones to 
him ; and that which was also an encouragement to 
them so to do, was, for that ail this was to be at the 
charge of the King : and so was an hospital to young 
children and orphans. 

Now they went on ; and when they were come to 
By-path meadow, to the stile over which Christian 
went with his fellow Hopeful, when they were taken by 
giant Despair, and put into Doubting Castle : they sat 
down, and consulted what was best to be done ; to 
wit, now they were so strong, and had got such a man 
as Mr. Great-heart for their conductor, v/hether they 
had not best to make an attempt upon the giant, de- 
molish his castle, and if there were any pilgrims in it, 
to set them at liberty, before they went any further. (Z*) 
So one said one thing, and another said to the con- 
trary. — One questioned if it was lawful to go upon 



* Here we frequently find our author speaking' of our Lord and Saviour 
' as Man. He excels in this. It were to be wislied, that authors and preach- 
ers wrote and spake more frequently of the manhood of Jesus, who was a 
' perfect Man, like unto us in all things except sin. 

<a) Jer. sxiil 4. Ezek. ^xxiy. 11—16. (/^ Part I. p. 18(>-192. 



V 



THEV iiETERMlNE TO ATTACK GIANT DESPAIR. 39? 

•imconsecrated ground ; another said they might, pro- 
vided their end was good. But Mr. Great-heart said. 
Though that assertion offered last cannot be universally 
true, yet I have a commandment to resist sin, to over- 
come evil, to fight the good fight of fi:iith: and I pray, 
with whom should I fight this good fight, if not with 
giant Despair? I will therefore attempt the taking 
away of his life, and the demolishing of Doubting- 
Castle. Then, said he, '' Who will go with me?'^ 
Then said old Honest, ** /will." ** And so we will 
too," said Christiana's four sons, Matthew, Samuel, 
James, and Joseph: for they were young men and 
strong. («) 

So they left the women on the road, and with them 
Mr. Feeble- mind and Mr. Ready -to- halt, with his 
crutches, to be their guard, until they came back ; for 
in that place, though giant Despair dwelt so near, they 
keeping in the road " a little child might lead them."((^) 

So Mr. Great-heart, old Honest, and the four 
young men, went to go up to Doubting Castle, to look 
for giant Despair. When they came at the castle 
gate, they knocked for entrance with an unusual 
noise. With that the old giant comes to the gate, and 
Diffidence his wife follows. Then said he, '' Who and 
what is he that is so hardy, as after this manner to mo- 
lest the giant Despair ?" Mr. Great-heart replied, "• It 
is I, Great-heart, one of the King of the celestial 
country's conductors of pilgrims to their place : and 
I demand of thee, that thou open thy gates for my en- 
trance ; prepare thyself' also to fight, for I am come to 
take away thy head, and to demolish Doubting Castle." 

Now giant Despair, because he was a giant, thought 
no man could overcome him ; and again, thought he, 
*' Since heretofore I have made a conquest of angels, 
shall Great-heart make me afraid?" So he harnessed 



(a) 1 John li. 13, 14. {b) Isaiah xi. $, 



398 THEY KILL THE GIANT* 

himself, and went out : he had a cap of steel upon his 
head, a breast-plate of fire girded to him, and he came 
out in iron shoes with a great club in his hand. Then 
these six men made up to him, and beset him behind 
and before : also when Diffidence, the giantess, came 
up to help him, old Mr. Honest cut her down at one 
blow. Then they fought for their lives, and giant 
Despair was brought down to the ground, but was 
very loth to die : he struggled hard, and had, as they 
say, as many lives as a cat ; but Great-heart was his 
death ; for he left him not till he had severed his head 
from his shoulders.* 

Then they fell to demolishing Doubting Castle ; 
and that, you know, might with ease be done, since 
giant Despair was dead. They were seven days in 
destroying of that : and in it, of pilgrims, they found 
one Mr. Despondency, almost starved to death, and 
one Much-afraid, his daughter ; these two they saved 
alive. But it would have made you wonder, to have 
seen the dead bodies that lay here and there in the cas- 
tle-yard, and how full of dead men's bones the dun- 
geon was. 

When Mr. Great-heart and his companions had 
performed this exploit, they took Mr. Despondency, 
and his daughter Much-afraid, into their protection ; 
for they were honest people, though they were prison- 
ers in Doubting Castle, to that giant Despair. They 
therefore, I say, took with them the head of the giant 
(for his body they had buried under a heap of stones ;) 
and down to the road and to their companions they 
came, and showed them what they had done. Now 
when Feeble-mind and Ready-to-halt saw that it was 



* What cannot Great-heart do ? What feats not perform? What victories 
Jiot gain ? Who can stand before Great -heart ? Diffidence shall fall, and 
giant Despair be slain, by the power of Great -heart, with the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph, vi. 17. even Despondency, thoug-li 
almost starved, shall be delivered, and his daughter Much-afraid shall be 
rescued. O for more of Great-heart's company ! 



THE pilgrims' JOY ON THEIR VICTORY. 399 

the head of giant Despair indeed, they were very jo- 
cund and merry. Now Christiana, if need was, con id 
play upon the viol, and her daughter Mercy upon the 
lute : so since they were so merry disposed, she played 
them a lesson, and Rcady-to-halt would dance. So he 
took Despondency's daughter, named Much-L*fraid, by 
the hand, and to dancing they went in the road. True, 
he could not dance without one crutch in his hund ; 
but I promise you, he footed it well : also the giri was 
to be commended, for she answered the music hand- 
somely. 

As for Mr. Despondency, the music was not much 
to him : he was for feeding rather than da- icing, for 
that he was almost starved. So Christiiina gave him 
some of her bottle of spirits, for present relief, and 
then prepared him something to eat ; and in a little 
time the old gentleman came to himself, and began to 
be finely revived. 

Now I saw in my dream, when all these things 
were finished, Mr. Great- heart took the head of giant 
Despair, and set it upon a pole by the high- way side^ 
right over against a pillar that Christian erected for a 
caution to pilgrims that came after, to take heed of en- 
tering into his grounds. 

Then he writ under it, upon a marble stone, these 
verses following : 

" This is the head of him, whose name only, 
In former time, did pilgrims terrify. 
His castle*s down* and Diffidence, his wife. 
Brave Master Great-heart has bereft of life. 
Despondency, his daughter Much-afraid, 
Great-heart for them also the man has play*d. 



* The following lines contain an important truth, and deserve particU' 
|ar reg-ard : 

Though Doubting-Castle be demolished. 
And tlie giant Despair hath lost his head. 
Sin can rebuild tiie castle, make't remain. 
And make Despair the giant live again.f 

■j- Excellent remark ! pray mind it. 



400 THEY ARRIVE AT THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS* 

Who hereof doubts, if he'll but cast his eye 
Up hither, may his scruples satisfy. 
This head also when doubting cripples dance, 
Doth show from fear they have deliverance." 

When those men had thus bravely showed them- 
selves against Doubting Castle, and had slain giant 
Despair, they went forward, and went on till they came 
to the Delectable Mountains, where Christian and 
Hopeful refreshed themselves with the varieties of the 
place. They also acquainted themselves with the 
shepherds there, who welcomed them, as they had done 
Christian before, unto the Delectable Mountains, 

Now the shepherds seeing so great a train follow Mr. 
Great-heart (for with him they were well acquainted,) 
they said unto him, " Good Sir, you have got a good- 
ly company here ; pray where did you find all these ?'* 

Gr.-h. " First here is Christiana and her train, 

Her sons, and her son's wives, who like the wain,. 
Keep by the pole, and do by compass steer 
From sin to grace, else they had not been here. 
Next, here's old Honest come on pilgrimage ; 
Ready-to- halt too, who I dare engage, 
True-hearted is, and so is Feeble-mind, 
Who willing was not to be left behind. 
Despondency, ^ood man, is coming after. 
And so also is Much-afraid his daughter. 
May we have entertainment here, or must 
We further go ? Let's know whereon to trust." 

Then said the shepherds, This is a comfortable com- 
pany ; you are welcome to us, for we have for the fee- 
ble as for the strong : our Prince has an eye to what 
is done to the least of these: (a) therefore infirmity 
must not be a block to our entertainment. So they 
had them to the palace doors, and then said unto them, 
*' Come in Mr. Feeble- mind ; come in Mr. Ready-to- 
halt : come in Mr. Despondency, and Miss Much- 



(a>Malt. XXV. 40,. 



MOUNT MARVEL. 401 

ctfraici his daughter.^' " These, Mr. Great-heart," 
said the shepherds to the guide, " wc call in by name,- 
for that they are most subject to draw back ; but as 
for you and the rest that are strong, we leave you to 
your wonted liberty." Then said Mr. Great-heart, 
" This day I sec, that grace doth shine in your faces, 
and that you are my Lord's shepherds indeed; for that 
you have not pushed these diseased neither with side 
nor shoulder, but have rather strewed their way into 
the palace with flowers as yoii should."(a) 

So the feeble and weak went in, and Mr* Great- 
heart and the rest did follow. When they were also 
set down, the shepherds said to those of the weaker 
sort. What is that you would have ? For, said they^ 
all things must be managed here to the supporting of 
the weak^ as well as the warning of the unruly. 

So they made them a feast of things easy of diges- 
tion, and that were pleasant to the palate, and nourish- 
ing ; the which when they had received, they went to 
their rest, each one respectively unto his proper place. 
When morning was come, because the mountains were 
high, and the day clear ; and because it was the cus- 
tom of the shepherds to show the pilgrims, before 
their departure, some rarities ; therefore, after they 
were ready, and had refreshed themselves, the shep- 
herds took them out into the fields, and showed them 
first what they had showed to Christian before. (i) 

Then they had them to some new places. The first 
was mount Marvel, wh^re they looked and beheld a 
man at a distance, that tumbled the hills about with 
^vords. Then they asked the shepherds what that 
should mean ? So they told him, that that man was the 
son of one Mr. Great- grace [of whom you read in the 
first part of the records of the 'Pilgrim'' s Progress .*] and 
he is set there to teach pilgrims how to believe down 
or to tumble out of their ways, what difficulties they 



<«) E;^ek. xxxlv. 21. (b) Part I. p. 194— 19i< 

.^1 



402 MOUNT INNOCENCE AND MOUNT CHAllITY- 

should meet ivith, by faith. (a) Then said Mr. Great- 
heart, " I know him ; he is a man above many." 

Then they liad them to another place, called mount 
Innocence : and there they saw a man clothed all in 
white : and two men, Prejudice and Ill-will, continual- 
ly casting dirt upon him. Now, behold the dirt, what- 
soever they cast at him, would in a little time fall ofif 
again, and his garment would look as clear as if no 
dirt had been cast thereat. — Then said the pilgrims, 
What means this ? The shepherds answered. This 
man is named Godly -man, and the garment is to show 
the innocency of his life. No^v, those that throw dirt at 
him are such as hate his well-doing ; but as you see 
the dirt will not stick upon his clothes, so it shall be 
with him that lives truly innocently in the w^orld. Who- 
ever they be that would make such men dirty, they la- 
bour all in vain ; for God by tliat a little time is spent, 
w^ill cause that their innocence shall break forth as the 
light, and their righteousness as the noon-day. 

Then they took them, and had them to mount Cha- 
rity, where they showed them a man that had a bundle 
of cloth lying before him, out of which he cut coats 
and garments for the poor that stood about him ; yet 
his bundle or roll of cloth was never the less. Then 
said they. What should this be? This is, said the 
shepherds, to show you, that he that has a heart to give 
of his labour to the poor, shall never want wherewithal. 
•' He that watereth shall be watered himself." And 
the cake that the widow gave to the prophet, did not 
cause that she had ever the less in her barrel. 

They had them also to the place, where they saw 
one Fool, and one Want- wit, washing of an Ethiopian, 
with an intention to make him white ; but the more 
they washed him, the blacker he was. Then they ask- 
ed the shepherds Avhat that should mean ? So they told 



(a) Mark xi. 23, 24- 



THE LOOK [NG-G LASS OF GOD's WORD. 403 

them, saying, Thus shall it be with the vile person; all 
means used to get such a one a good name, shall in 
conclusion tend but to make him more abominable. 
Thus it was with the Pharisees, and so it shall be with 
all hypocrites. 

Then said Mercy, the wife of Matthew, to Chris^ 
tiana her mother, I would, if it might be, see the hole 
in the hill, or that commonly called the By-way to hell. 
So her mother brake her mind to the shepherds. (c) 
Then they went to the door, (it was on the side of an 
hill ; ) and they opened it, and bid Mercy hearken 
awhile. So she hearkened, and heard one saying, 
*' Cursed be my father, for holding of my feet back 
from the way of peace and life:" And another said, 
*' O that I hud been torn in pieces, before I had, to save 
my life, lost my soui !" And another said, *' If I were 
to live again, how would I deny myself rather than 
come to this place !" Then there was as if the very 
earth groaned and quaked under the feet of this young- 
woman for fear, so she looked white, and came tremb- 
ling away, saying, " Blessed be he and she that is de* 
livered from this place." 

Novy when the shepherds had shown them all these 
things, then they had them back to the palace, and en- 
tertained them with what the house would aiford : but 
Mercy being a young and breeding woman, longed for 
something that she saw there, but was ashamed to ask. 
Her mother-in-law then asked her what she ailed, for 
she looked as one not well. Then said Mercy, There 
is a looking-glass hangs up in a dining-room, off which 
I cannot take my mind ; if therefore I have it not, I think 
I shall miscarry. Then said her mother, I will mention 
thy wants to the shepherds, and they will not deny it thee. 
But she said, I am ashamed that these men should know 



(«) Part r p. 197. 



404 THE SHEPHERDS GIVE PRESENTS TO THE PILGRIMS, 

that I longed. Nay, my daughter, said she, it is no 
shame, but a virtue, to long for such a thing as that. 
So Mercy said, Then, mother, if you please, ask the 
shepherds if they are willing to sell it. 

Now the glass was one of a thousand. It would 
present a man, one way, with his own features eijiactly ; 
and turn it but another way, and it would show one the 
very face and similitude of the Prince of the pilgrims 
himself. Yes, I have talked with them that can tell, 
and they have said, that they have seen the very crown 
of thorns upon his head, by looking in that glass ; they 
have therein also seen the holes in his hands, in his feet,, 
and his side. Yea, such an excellency is there in that 
glass, that it will show him to one where they have a 
mind to see him, w^hether living or dead, whether in 
earth or in heaven ; whether in a state of humiliation, 
or in his exaltation ; whether coming to suffer, or com- 
ing to reign. *(«) 

Christiana therefore WTnt to the shepherds apart, (now 
the names of the shepherds were Knowledge, Experi- 
ence, Watchful, and Sincere, )(Z>) and said unto them, 
There is one of my daughters, a breeding woman, that, 
I think, doth long for something that she hath seen in 
this house, and she thinks she should miscarry, if she 
should by you be denied. 

Ex PER. Call her, call her : she shall assuredly have 
what we can help her to. So they called her, and said 
to her, Mercy, What is that thing thou wouldest have ? 
Then she blushed, and said. The great glass that hangs 
up in the dining-room. So Sincere ran and fetched it, 
and with a joyful consent it was given her. Then she 
bowed her head, and ga\-e thanks, and said. By this J 
know that I have obtained favour in your eyes. 



■* O what a blessed thing it is to long- for the word of God, so as not to 
be satisfied without it, and to prize it above and beyond all otlier tilings » 
liove to the word excites the soul to say with David. " I have longed for 
ihy salvation, O Lord," Psal. cxix. 17A. This is a special mark of a gra^ 
cious soul. 

(a) James i. 23—25. 1 Cor. xili. 12. 2 Cor. iii. 18. (b) Pait I. p. 195. 



WHO LEAVE THEIM, AND GO ON THEIR JOURNEY. 405 

They also gave to the other youni^ women such 
things as they desired, and to their husbands great 
commendations, for that they had joined with Mr, 
Great- heart, to the slaying of giant Despair, and the 
demolishing of Doubting Castle. — "^About Christi- 
ana's neck the shepherds put a bracelet, and so they 
did about the necks of her four daughters ; also they 
put ear-rings in their ears, and jewels on their fore- 
heads. 

When they were minded to go hence, they let them 
go in peace, but gave not to them those certain cau- 
tions which before were given to Christian, and his 
companion. The reason was, for that these had 
Great-heart to be their guide, who was one that was 
well acquainted with things, and so could give them 
their cautions more seasonable ; to wit, even then 
when the danger was nigh the approaching. What cau- 
tions Christian and his companion had received of the 
shepherds,(a) they had also lost by that the time was come 
that they had need to put them in practice. Where^ 
fore, here was the advantage that this company had 
over the other. 

From hence they went on singing, and they saidj 

<^ Behold, how fitly are the stages set 

For their relief that pilgrims are become, 

And how they us receive without one let, 
That make the other life the mark and home. 

What novelties they have, to us they give, 
That we, though pilgrims, joyful lives may live. 
They do upon us, too, such things bestow, 
That show we pilgrims are, where'er we go." 



* No good thing, done in the name and to the glory of Clirist, shall be 
fo)-gotten of him, nor go unrewarded by him. 

(rt) Part I. p. 198. 



406 THEY OVERTAKE VALIANT-FOR-TRUTHj 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE COMPAINY JOINED BY MR. VALIANT AND MR« 

STAND-FAST. THEY PASS OVER THE ENCHANTED 

GROUND. A DESCRIPTION OF MADAM BUBBLE. 

When they were gone from the shepherds, they 
quickl}^ came to the place where Christian met with 
one Turn-away, that dwelt in the town of Apostacy.(«) 
Wherefore of him Mr. Great-heart, their guide, did 
now put them in mind, saying, This is the place where 
Christian met with one Turn-away, who carried with 
him the character of his rebellion at his back. And 
this I have to say concerning this man ; — he would 
hearken to no counsel, but, once a falling, persuasion 
could not stop him. When he came to the plac& 
where the cross and the sepulchre was, he did meet with 
one that did bid him look there, but he gnashed with his 
teeth, and stamped, and said, he was resolved to go 
back to his own town. Before he came to the gate, he 
met with Evangelist, who offered to lay hands on him 
to turn him into the way again. But this Turn-away 
resisted him, and having done much despite unto him, 
he got away over the wall, and so escaped his hand. 

Then they went on: and, just at the place where 
Little-faith formerly was robbed, there stood a man 
with his sword drawn, and his face all bloody. Then 
said Mr. Great- heart. What art thou ? The man made 
answer, saying, I am one whose name is Valiant-for- 
tiTith ; I am a pilgrim, and am going to the Celestial 
city. Now, as I was in my vvay, there were three men 
that did beset me, and propounded unto me these three 
things : — Whether I would become one of them ; — or 



(a) Part I. p. 201. 



WHO OVERCOMES THREE BARIN6 ASSAILANTS. 407 

go back from whence I came ; — or die upon the place? 
To the first I answered, I had been a true man a long 
season, and therefore it could not be expected that I 
now should cast in my lot with thieves.(a) Then they 
demanded what I would say to the second. So I told 
them the place from whence I came, had I not found 
tncommodity there, I had not forsaken it at all ; but 
finding it altogether unsuitable to me, and very unpro- 
fitable for me, I forsook it for this way. Then they 
asked me what I said to the third ? And I told them. 
My life cost more dear far, than that I should lightly 
give it away ; Besides, you have nothi^ig to do to put 
things to my choice ; wherefore at your peril be it if 
you meddle. Then these three, to wit, Wildhead, 
Inconsiderate, and Pragmatic, drew upon me, and I 
also drew upon them. So we fell to it, one against 
three, for the space of three hours. They have left 
upon me, as you see, some of the marks of their 
valour, and have also carried away with them some of 
mine. They are but just now gone : I suppose they 
might, as the saying is, hear your horse dash, and so 
they betook themselves to flight. 

Gr.-h. But here was great odds, three against one. 

Val. 'Tis true; but little or more are nothing to 
him that has the truth on his side : " Though an host' 
should encamp against me," said one, " my heart 
shall not fear : though w^ar shall rise against me, in this 
will I be confident," &c. Besides, said he, I have 
read in some records, that one man has fought an 
army : and how many did Sampson slay with the jaw- 
bone of an ass ?* 

Then said the guide, why did you not cry out, that 
some might have come in for your succour ? 



* Truth will make a man valiant ; and valour for truth will make a 
pilgrim fight wilh wild-headed, inconsiderate, and pragmatic opposers. 
The blood he looses in such a battle is his honour ; the scars he gets are hi^ 
jjlory. 

(«) Prov. i. 10—19. 



408 GREAT-HEART INUUIRES CONCERNING THE FI&HTi 

Val. So I did to my King, who I knew could hear 
me, and afford invisible help, and that was enough for 
me.* 

Then said Great-heart to Mr. Valiant-for-truthj 
Thou hast ^vorthily behaved thyself; let me see thy 
sword ; — so he showed it him. When he had taken it 
into his hand, and looked thereon a while, he said. Ha ! 
it is a right Jerusalem blade. 

Val. It is so. Let a man have one of these blades, 
with a hand to wield it, and skill to use it, and he may 
venture upon an angel with it. He need not fear its 
holding, if he can but tell hovr to lay on. Its edge will 
iKiver blunt. It will cut liesh and bones, and soul and 
spirit, and all. 

Gr.-h. But you fought a great while ; I wonder you 
"was not weary. 

Val. I fought till my sword did cleave to my hand, 
and then they were joined together, as if a sword grew 
out of my arm : and when the blood run through my 
fingers, then I fought with most courage.f 

Gr,-h. Thou hast done well ; thou hast *' resisted 
unto blood, striving against sin ;" thou shalt abide by 
us, come in and go out with us, for we are thy com.- 
panions. 

Then they took him, and washed his wounds, and 
gave him of what they had to refresh him ; and so they 
went together. Now as they went on, because Mr. 
Great-heart was delighted in him (for he loved one great- 
ly that he found to be a man of his hands ; ) and because 
there were in company them that were feeble and 
weak, therefore he questioned with him about many 
things ; as first, what countryman he was ? 



* Enough indeed. He who is engaged for God's truth, shall never want 
•Cod's help. 

f Blessed fighting, when hand and heart ai'e engaged, and the swort^. 
grows united to both ! O ye trimmers, and lukewarm professors, wlio will 
tamely give up, or meanly compound for peace, by the barter of trutli j lei 
this shame and confound you ! 



HE INFORMS THEM HE CAME FROM DARK-LAND. 40!^ 

Val. I am of Dark-land, for there I was born, and 
there my father and mother are still. 

Dark- land ! said the guide : doth not that lie on 
the same coast with the city of Destruction ? 

Val. Yes, it doth. Now that which caused me to 
come on pilgrimage, was this ; we had Mr. Tell-true 
come into our parts, and he told it about what Chris- 
tian had done, that went from the city of Destruction, 
namely, how he had forsaken his wife and children, and 
had betaken himself to a pilgrim's life. It was also 
confidently reported, how he had killed a serpent, that 
did come out to resist him in his journey ; and how he 
got through to whither he intended. It was also told, 
what welcome he had to all his Lord's lodgings, espe- 
cially when he came to the gates of the Celestial city ; 
for there, said the man, he was received with sound of 
trumpet, by a company of shining ones. He told it 
also how all the bells in the city did ring for joy at his 
reception, and what golden garments he was clothed 
with ; with many other things that now I shall forbear 
to relate. In a word, that man so told the story of 
Christian and his travels, that my heart fell into a burn- 
ing heat to be gone after him : nor could father or mo~ 
ther stay me. So I got from them, and am come thus 
far on my way. 

Gr.-h. You came in at the gate, did you not? 

Val. Yes, yes ; for the same man also told us, that 
all would be nothing, if we did not begin to enter this 
way at the gate.* 



* The reason why so many professors who set out, go on for a season, but 
fall away and come to nothin.i^ at last is, because they do not enter into the 
pilgrim's path, by Christ, who is the gate. They do not see themselves 
quite lost, ruined, hopeless, and wretched : their hearts are not broken for 
sin ; therefore they do not begin by receiving Christ, as the only Saviour of 
such miserable sinners. But they set out in nature's strength ; and not re- 
ceiving, nor living upon Clu'ist, they soon fall away. This is the reason of 
this inquiry. Did you come in at the gate ? A question we ought to put to 
ourselves, and be fully satisfied about. 

fi2 



410 VALIANT- FOR- TRUTH REJOICES AT CHRISTIANA. 

Look you, said the guide to Christiana, the pilgrim- 
age of your husband, and what he has gotten thereby, 
is spread abroad Hir and near. 

Val. Why, is this Christian's wife? 

Gr.-h. Yes, that it is ; and these are also her four 
sons. 

Val. What ! and going on pilgrimage too ? 

Gr.-h. Yes, verily, they are following after. 

Val. It glads me at heart; good man, how joyful 
will he be, when he shall see them that would not go 
with him, to enter before him at the gates into the Ce- 
lestial city ! 

Gr.-h. Without doubt it will be a comfort to him ; 
for, next to the joy of seeing himself there, it will be 
a joy to meet there his wife and children. 

Val. But, now you are upon that, pray let me hear 
your opinion about it. Some make a question, whe- 
ther we shall know one another when we are there. 

Gr.-h. Do they think they shall know themselves 
then, or that they shall rejoice to see themselves in that 
bliss ? and if they think they shall know and do these, 
Vv^hy not know others, and rejoice in their welfare also ? 
Again, since relations are our second self, though that 
state will be dissolved, yet why may it not be rationally 
concluded that we shall be more glad to see them there, 
than to see they are wanting ? 

Val. Well, I perceive whereabouts you are as to 
this. Have vou anv more thins^s to ask me about mv 
beginning to come on pilgrimage ?^ 

Gr.-h. Yes : was your father and mother willing that 
you should become a pilgrim ? 

Val. Oh ! no ; they used all means imaginable to 
persuade me to stay at home. 



* A sound Christian is not afraid to be examined, and sifted to the bot- 
tom. For he can g-ive a reason of the hope that is in him. He knows why 
and wherefore he commenced a pilgrim. 



CARNAL OBJECTIONS TO GOING ON PILGKIMAGE. 411 

Gr.-h. What could they say against it ? 

Val. They said, it was an idle life; and, if I my- 
self were not inclined to sloth and laziness, I would 
never countenance a pilgrim's condition. 

Gr.-h. And what did they say else? 

Val. Why, they told me that it was a dangerous 
way : Yea, the most dangerous way in the world, say 
they, is that which the pilgrims go. 

Gr.-h. Did they show you wherein this way is dan- 
gerous ? 

Val. Yes ; and that in many particulars. 

Gr.-h. Name some of them. 

Val. They told me of the slough of Despond, 
w*herein Christian was well nigh smothered. They 
told me that there were archers standing ready in Beel- 
zebub-castle, to shoot them who should knock at the 
Wicket-gate for entrance. They told me also of the 
wood and dark mountains, of the hill Difficulty, of the 
lions ; and also of the three giants Bloody-man, Maul, 
and Slay- good ; they said moreover, that there was a 
foul fiend haunted the valley of Humiliation ; and that 
Christian was by him almost bereft of life. Besides, 
said they, you must go over the valley of the Shadow 
of Death, where the hobgoblins are, where the light is 
darkness, where the way is full of snares, pits, traps, 
and gins. — They told me also of giant Despair, of 
Doubting Castle, and of the ruin the pilgrims met 
w^ith there. Further, they said I must go over the En- 
chanted Ground, which was dangerous. And that af- 
ter all this I should find a river, over which I should 
find no bridge ; and that that river -did lie betwixt me 
and the celestial country. 

Gr.-h. And was this all ? 

Val. No : they also told me, that this way was full 
of deceivers ; and of persons that lay in wait there, to 
turn good men out of their path. 

Gr.-h. But how did they make that out? 

Val. They told me that Mr. Worldly-wise-man 
did lie there in wdit to deceive. They also said, that 



415 FURTHER OBJECTIONS. 

there was Formality and Hypocrisy continually on the 
road. They said also, that By-ends, Talkative, or 
Demas, would go near to gather me up : that the 
Flatterer would catch me in his net ; or that, with 
green-headed Ignorance, I would presume to go on to 
the gate, from whence he was sent back to the hole 
that was in the side of the hill, and made to go the by- 
way to hell. 

Gr.-h. I promise you, this was enough to discou- 
rage thee. But did they make an end there ? 

Val» No, stay. They told me also of many that 
tried that way of old, and that had gone a great way 
therein, to see if they could find something of the 
glory then, that so many had so much talked of from 
time to time ; and how they came back again, and be- 
fooled themselves for setting a foot out of doors in that 
path, — to the satisfaction of the country. And they 
named several that did so, as Obstinate and Pliable, 
Mistrust and Timorous, Turn-away and old Atheist, 
with several more ; who, they said, had some of them 
gone far to see what they could find ; but not one of 
them found so much advantage by going as amounted 
to the weight of a feather. 

Gr.-h. Said they any thing more to discourage 
you? 

Val. Yes: they told me of one Mr. Fearing, who 
was a pilgrim ; and how he found his way so solitary, 
that he never had a comfortable hour therein : also that 
Mr. Despondency had like to have been starved there- 
in, yea, and also, (which I had almost forgot) Christian 
himself, about whom there has been such a noise, 
after all his ventures for a celestial crown, was certain- 
ly drowned in the black river, and went never a foot 
further, however it was smothered up. 

Gr.-h. And did none of these things discourage 
you? 

Val. No: they seemed as so many nothings to 
ine. 



EAITH ANSWERS AiND OVERCOMES THEM ALL. 413 

Gr.-h. How came that about? 

Val. Why, I still believed what Mr. Tell- true had 
said, and that carried me beyond them all. 

Gr.-h. Then this was your victory, even your 
faith ? 

Val. It was so : I believed, and therefore cnme 
out, got into the way, fought all that set themselves 
against me, and, by believing, am come to this 
place ?^ 

" Who would true valour see, 

Let him come hither ; 
One here will constant be. 

Come wind, come weather j 
There's no discouragement 
Shall make him once relent 
His first avow'd intent 

To be a pilgrim. 

Whoso beset him round 

With dismal stories, 
Do but themselves confound, 

His strength the more is, 
No lion can him fright, 
He'll with a giant fight, 
But he will have a right 

To be a pilgrim. 

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend 

Can daunt his spirit; 
He knows, he at the end 

Shall life inherit. 
Then fancies fly away, 
He'll not fear what men say, 
He'll labour night and day 

To be a pilgrim.'* 

By this time they were got to the Enchanted 
Ground, where the air naturally tended to make one 
drowsy :{a) and that place was all grown over with 
briers and thorns, excepting here and there, where 



* Here we see, that valiant soldiers of Christ ascribe all to the exercise 
cf faith. They set out with faith, and they hold on and hold out by be- 
lieving. Tlius they give all the glory to Christ, who is the object, author, 
and finisher of faith. 

(a) Pai't I. p. 215—238, 



414 THE ENCHANTED GROUND DESCRIBED : 

was an enchanted arbour, upon which if a man sits, or 
in which if a man sleeps, 'tis a question, say some, 
whether ever he shall rise or wake again in this world. 
Over this forest, therefore, they went, both one and 
another ; and Mr. Great-heart went before, for that he 
was the guide, and Mr. Valiant-for- truth came be- 
hind, being rear- guard ; for fear lest peradventure 
some fiend, or dragon, or giant, or thief, should fall 
upon their rear, and so do mischief. They went on 
here, each man with his sword drawn in his hand, for 
they knew it was a dangerous place. Also they cheer- 
ed up one another as well as they could ; Feeble-mind, 
Mr. Great-heart commanded, should come up after 
him, and Mr. Despondency was under the eye of Mr. 
Valiant.^ 

Now they had not gone far, but a great mist and 
dai'kness fell upon them all ; so that they could scarce, 
for a great while, one see the other ; wherefore they 
were forced, for some time, to feel for one another by 
words, for they walked not by sight.f But any one 
must think, that here was but sorry going for the best 
of them all ; but how much the worst was it for the 
women and children, who both of feet and heart were 
also but tender ! Yet nevertheless so it was, that through 
the encouraging words of him that led in the front, and 
of him that brought them up behind, they made a 
pretty good shift to wag along. 

The way was also here very wearisome,* through 
dirt and slabbiness. Nor was there on all this ground 
so much as one inn or victualling house, wherein to re- 
fresh the feebler sort. Here therefore was grunting, 



* Old pilgrims, ye who have set out well, and go on well for a long sea- 
son, consider, ye are yet in the world, which is enchanted ground. Know 
your danger of seeking rest here, or sleeping in any of its enchanting ar- 
boxu'S. 

'\ Though feelings may be lost, light seem to fail, and comforts forsake 
us, yet faith shall supply the want of all. Like Moses, we shall endure, 
seeing HIM who i^ invisible. Heb. xi. 27. 



DIFFICULTIES THERE ENCOUNTERED BY THKM. 415 

and puffing, and sighing : while one tumbleth over a 
bush, another sticketh fast in the dirt ; and the children, 
some of them lost their shoes in the mire : while one 
cries out, ** I am down ;" and another, ''Ho! where 
are you ?" And a third, '' The bushes have got such 
fast hold on me, I think I cannot get away from them." 

Then they came to an arbour, warm, and promising 
much refreshing to the pilgrims : for it was finely 
wrought above head, beautified with greens, furnished 
with benches and settles. It had in it a soft couch, 
where the weary might lean. This, you must think, 
all things considered, was tempting; for the pilgrims 
already began to be foiled with the badness of the way ; 
but there was not one of them that made so much as 
a motion to stop there. Yea, for aught I could per- 
ceive, they continually gave so good heed to the advice 
of their guide, and he did so faithfully tell them of dan- 
gers, and. of the nature of dangers, when they were at 
them, that usually, when they were nearest to them, 
they did most pluck up their spirits, and hearten one 
another to deny the flesh.* — The arbour was called 
the Slothful's Friend, on purpose to allure, if it might 
be, some of the pilgrims there to take up their rest 
when weary. 

I saw then in my dream, that they went on in this 
their solitary ground, till they came to a place at which 
a man is apt to lose his way. Now, though when it 
was light, their guide could well enough tell how to 
miss those ways that led wrong, yet in the dark he was 
put to a stand : but he had in his pocket a map of all 
ways leading to or from the celestial city ; wherefore 
he struck a light (for he never goes also without his 
tinder-box,) and takes a view of his book or map, 



* Deny yourselves^ is the word of Christ. Tlie slotlifiihiess, ease and 
desires of the flesh, must be denied, or dantj^er will inevitably ensue. To 
gratify the flesh, is to destroy the Spirit's comfort, if not the .'loul's salva- 
tion. 



416 HEEDLESS AND TOO-BOLD ASLEEP IN AN ARBOUR^ 

which bids him be careful in that place, to turn to the 
right hand. And had he not here been careful to look 
in his map, they had in all probability been smothered 
in the mud ; for just a little before them, and that at 
the end of the cleanest way too, was a pit, none knows 
how deep, full of nothing but mud, there made on pur- 
pose to destroy the pilgrims in. 

Then thought I with myself, who, that goeth on pil- 
grimage, but would have one of these maps about 
him, that he may look when he is at a stand, which is 
the way he must take. 

They went on, then, in this Enchanted Ground, till 
they came to where there was another arbour, and it 
was built by the highway -side. And in that arbour 
there lay two men, whose names were Heedless and 
Too- bold. These two went thus far on pilgrimage ; 
but here, being wearied with their journey, sat do^vn 
to rest themselves, and so fell fast asleep. When the 
pilgrims saw them, they stood still, and shook their 
heads ; for they knew that the sleepers were in a pitiful 
case. Then they consulted what to do, whether to go 
on, and leave them in their sleep, or step to them, and 
try to awake them. So tliey concluded to go to them, 
and awake them ; that is, if they could ; but with this 
caution, namely, to take heed that themselves did not 
sit dovvn, nor embrace the offered benefit of that 
arbour.* 

So they went in, and spake to the men, and called 
each by his name (for the guide, it seems, did know 
them,) but there was no voice, nor answer. Then the 
guide did shake them, and do what he could to disturb 
them. Then said one of them, " I will pay you when 
I take my money." At which the guide shook his 



* It is the duty, and will be the practice of pilgi-ims, to strive to be im 
stnimental to the good of others. But, at the same time, it belioves them 
to lake heed to themselves, and watch, lest they catch harm from them ar.d 
their condiiet. 



THE PILGRIMS CAUTIONED BY THEIR EXAMPLE. 417 

head. *^ I ^vill fight so long as I can hold my sword 
in my hand>" said the other. At that, one of the chil- 
dren laughed. 

Then said Christiana, What is the meaning of this ? 
Then the guide said, They talk in their sleep ; if you do 
strike them, or beat them, or whatever else you do un- 
to them, they will answer you after this fashion ; or^ 
as one of them said in old time, when the waves of 
the sea did beat upon him, and he slept as one upon 
the mast of a ship, " When I do awake, I will seek it 
yet again. "(«) You know, when men talk ui their 
sleep, they say any thing ; but their words are not go- 
verned either by faith or reason. There is an incohe- 
rency in their words now ; even as there was before, 
betwixt their going on pilgrimage and their sitting dowa 
here. This then is the mischief on't, when heedless 
ones go on pilgrimage, twenty to one but they are serv- 
ed thus. For this Enchanted Ground is one of the last 
refuges that the enemy to pilgrims has ; w herefore it 
is, as you see, placed almost at the end of the way, and 
so it standeth against us with the more advantage. For 
when, thinks the enemy, will these fools be so desirous 
to sit down, as when they are weary ? And at what time 
so likely for to be weary, as when they are almost at 
their journey's end ? Therefore it is, I say, that the 
Enchanted Ground is placed so nigh to the land of Beu- 
lah, and so near the end of their race. Wherefore let 
pilgrims look to themselves, lest it happens to them as 
it hath done these, that, as you see, are fallen asleep, 
and none can awake them.* 

Then the pilgrims desired, with trembling, to go 
forward ; only they prayed their guide to strike a light, 
that they might go the rest of their way by the help of 



* What a sound sleep of infatuation hath this enchanting world cast ma« 
ny a professor into ! I'hey are proof against all warnings, and dead as to 
any means of arousing them. 

{a) ProT. xxiii. 34, 35, 

53 



418 THEY Wmt) STAlSliFAST ON HIS KNEES ^ 

the light of a lantern. So he struck a light, and they 
went by the help of that, through the rest of this way, 
though the darkness was very great.* (a) 

But the children began to be sorely weary ; and they 
cried out unto Him that loveth pilgrims, to make their 
way more comfortable. So by that they had gone a little 
further, a ^vind arose, that drove away the fog ; so the 
air became more clear. Yet they were not off, by much, 
of the Enchanted Ground, but only now they could see 
one another better, and also the way wherein they should 
walk. 

Now when they were almost at the end of this- 
ground, they perceived, that a little before them was a 
solemn noise of one that was much concerned. So 
they went on, and looked before them : and, behold, 
they saw, as they thought, a man upon his knees, 
with hands and eyes lifted up, and speaking, as they 
thought, earnestly to one that was above. They drew 
nigh, but could not tell v/hat he said ; so they went 
softly till he had done. When he had done, he got up, 
and began to run towards the Celestial city. Then 
Mr. Great-heart called after him, saying, *' Soho, friend^ 
let us have your company, if you go, as I suppose yoii 
do, to the Celestial city." So the man stopped, and 
they came up to him : but so soon as Mr. Honest saw 
him, he said, *' I know this man." Then said Mr. 
Yaliant-for-trudi, " Pr'} thee, who is it ?" '' 'Tis one," 
said he, " that comes from whereabouts I dwelt : his 
name is Standfast ; he is certainly a right good pilgrim." 

So they came up one to another ; and presently Stand- 
fast said to old Honest, " Ho ! father Honest, are you 
there ?" " Ay," said he, '* that I am, "as sure as you 



* The word of God is tl^.e cnl^' light to direct our steps. He who ne-' 
gleets this is a fool, lie who sets up, and looks for any other light to 
<Jirect him, is mad, and knows not what he does. 

{a) 2 Pet. i. 19/ 



HIS REASONS FOR BEING IN THAT POSTURE. 419 

are there." " Right glad am I," said Mr. Standfast, 
" that I have found you on this road." " And as giad 
am I," said the other, " that I espied you on your 
knees." Then Mr. Standfast blushed, and said, " But 
why ; did you see me ?" *' Yes, that I did," quoth the 
other, " and with my heart was I glad at the sieht." 
*'Why, what did }ou think?" said Standfast. '' Think !" 
said old Honest, "what should I think ? I thought we had 
an honest man upon the road, therefore should have his 
company by and by." *' If you thought not amiss, 
how happy am I ; but, if I be not as I should, 'tis I alone 
must bear it." " That is true," said the other ; " but 
your fear doth further confirm me, that things are right 
betwixt the Prince of pilgrims and your soul : for he 
saith, ' Blessed is the man that feareth always.' "* 

Val. Well, but brother, I pray thee tell us, what 
was it that was the cause of thy being upon thy knees 
even now ? Was it for some obligations laid by special 
mercies upon thee,, or how ? 

Stand. Why, we are, as you see, upon the En- 
chanted Ground ; and as I was coming along, I was 
musing with myself, of what a dangerous nature the 
road in this place was; and how many, that had come even 
thus far on pilgrimage, had here been stopt, and been 
destroyed. I thought also of the manner of death, with 
which this place destroyeth meno Those that die here, 
die of no violent distemper : the death which such do 
die, is not grievous to them ; for he that goeth away in 
a sleep, begins that journey with desire and pleasure : 
yea, such acquiesce in the will of that disease. 

Then Mr. Honest interrupting of him, said, Did you 
see the two men asleep in the arbour ? 

Stand. Ay, ay, I saw Heedless and also Too-boU 
ther'e ; and, for aught I know, that there they will lie 
until they rot:(c) but let me go on with my tale. — As 



* He who feareth always, will pray evermore- The fear of the heart will 
bring- pilgrims on their knees. He who fears to be, or go Wi'ong-, will pray 
to be set right. 

(a) prov. X. T- 



420 STANDFAST IS ACCOSTED BY MADAM BUBBLfc !- 

I was thus musing, as I said, there was one in pleasant 
attire, but old, who presented herself unto me, and of- 
fered me three things ; to wit, her body, her purse, and 
her bed. Now the truth is, I was both weary and 
sleepy : I am also as poor as an owlet, and that perhaps 
the witch knew. Well, I repulsed her once and twice ; 
but she put by my repulses and smiled. Then I began 
to be angry ; but she mattered that nothing at all. 
Then she made offers again, and said. If I would be 
ruled by her, she would make me great and happy ; 
for, said she, I am the mistress of the world, and men 
are ma,de happy by me. Then I asked her name, and 
she told me it was Madam Bubble. This set me further 
from her ; but she still followed me with enticements. 
Then I betook me, as you see, to my knees, and with 
hands lifted up, and cries, I prayed to Him that had 
said he would help. So just as you came up, the gen- 
tlewoman went her way. Then I continued to give 
thanks for this great deliverance ; for I verily believe 
she intended no good, but rather sought to make a stop 
of me in my journey.* 

Hon. Without doubt her designs were bad. But 
stay, now you talk of her, methinks I either have seen 
her, or have read sorr^e story of her.. 

Stand. Perhaps you have done both. 

Hon. Madam Bubble! Is she not a tall, comely 
dame, something of a swaithy complexion ? 

Stand. Right, you hit it, she is just such an one, 

Hon. Doth she not speak very smoothly, and give 
you a smile at the end of every sentence ? 

Stand. You fall right upon it again, for these are 
her actions. 



* O pilgrims ! Beware of this Madam Bubble. Know and consider \rell^ 
tliat ye have a nature exactly suited to accept of her offers, and to fall ia 
love with her promises. The riches, honours, and ple:tsures of the world ; 
what mortal can witlistand ? Or who can foreg-o them ? No one, but he 
vv^ho sees more charms in Jesus, more glory in his cross, and more comfort 
in the enjoyment of his love and presence : and therefore is continually look- 
ing- and crying to him, " Turn awa}* mine eyes from beliolding vanity. In,- 
-sti'uct my soul in thy way. Keep me closely following thee. Lord, thou 
firt the portion of bv/ soul ■'* 



great-heart's account of her. 423, 

Ho IT. Doth she not ^vcar a great purse by her side ? 
and is not her hand often in it lingering her money, as 
if that was her heart's delight ? 

Stand. 'Tis just so: had she stood by all this 
while, you could not more amply have set her forth be* 
fore me, and have better described her features. 

Hon. Then he that drew her picture was a good 
limner, and he that wrote of her said tme. 

Gpv.-h. This woman is a witch ; and it is by virtue 
of her sorceries, that this ground is enchanted : who- 
ever doth lay their head down in her lap, had as good 
lay it down upon that block over which the axe dotli 
hang ; and whoever lays their eyes upon her beauty, 
are counted the enemies of God. (a) This is she that 
maintaineth in their splendour all those that are the ene- 
mies of pilgrims. Yea, this is she that hath brought off 
many a man from a pilgrim's life. She is a great gos- 
sipper ; she is always, both she and her daughters, at 
one pilgrim's heels or another, now commending, and 
then preferring the excellencies of this life. She is a 
bold and impudent slut ; she will talk with any man. 
She always laughed poor pilgrims to scorn; but highly 
commends the rich. If there be one cunning to get 
money in a place, she will speak well of him froni 
house to house ; she loveth banquetting and feasting 
mainly well ; she is always at one full table or another. 
She has given it out in some places that she is a god- 
dess, and therefore some do worship her. She has her 
time and open places of cheating ; and she will say, 
and avow it, that none can show a good comparable to 
her's. She promiseth to dwell with children's chile 
dren, if they would but love and make much of her. 
She will cast out of her purse gold like dust, in some 
places, and to some persons. She loves to be sought 
after, spoken well of, and to lie in the bosoms of meuo 
She is never weary of commending her commodities, 
md she loves them most that think best of her. Shq 



(a) James iv. 4. 1 John iv 14, 15, 



422 HE CONTINUES HIS ACCOUNT OF MADAM BHBBLEp 

will promise crowns and kingdoms, if they will but 
take her advice : yet many hath she brought to the 
halter, and ten thousand times more to hell. 

Oh ! said Standfast, what a mercv it is that I did 
resist her ! for whither might she have drawn me ?* 

Gr.-h. Whither! nay none but God knows. But, 
in general, to be sure she would have drawn thee into 
^' many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in 
destruction and perdition. "(c) It was she that set 
Absalom against his father, and Jeroboam against his 
master. It was she that persuaded Judas to sell his 
Lord, and that prevailed with Demas to forsake the 
godly pilgrim's life : none can tell of the mischief that 
she doth. She makes variance betwixt rulers and 
subjects, betwixt parents and children, betwixt neigh- 
bour and neighbour, betwixt a man and his wife, be- 
tween a man and himself, betwixt the flesh and the 
spirit. — Wherefore, good master Standfast, be as your 
name is ; and '' when you have done all, stand." 

At this discourse there was, among the pilgrims, a 
mixture of joy and trembling j bi;t at length they 
brake out, and sang — 

" What danger is the pilgrim in ? 

How many are his foes ? 
How many ways there are to sin, 

No living mortal knows. 
Some in the ditch spoil'd are, yea can 

Lie tumbling in the mire : 
Some, though they shun the frying-pan, 

Do leap into the fire." 



* In the experience of this most excellent man, we see verified God's 
faithfulness in upholding', and bringing off" more than conquerors all who 
" call upon Him in the day of trouble 1" O ! for an increase of precious 
faith, to overcome the world, and to pass through it, in pursuit of a noblel- 
portion, as strangers and pilgrims ! 

(fl) 1 Tim. vi.,9. 



THE PitGRlMS ARRIVE AT THE LAINl3 OF BEULAIU 4^3 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE PILGRIMS ARRIVE AT THE LA^D OF BETJLAH ; 
WHLilE THEY WAIT FOR THE SUMMONS OF THEIR KING. 
CHRISTIANA AND SEVERAL OF HER COMPANIONS PASS 
THE RiVERj AND ARE ADMITTED INTO THE CITY OF 
GOD. 

AFTER this, I beheld, until they were come unto the 
laud 01 Eeulah, where the sun shineth night and day.(c) 
Here, because they were weary, they betook themselves 
awhile to rest : and because this country was common 
for pilgrims, and because these orchards and vine- 
yards that Vv^ere here, belonged to the King of the Celes- 
tial country, therefore they were licensed to make bold 
with any of his things. But a little while soon refreshed 
them here ; for the bells did so ring, and the trumpets 
continually sounding so melodiously, that they could not 
sleep ; and yet they received as much refreshing, as 
if they slept their sleep never so soundly. Here also 
all the noise of them that walked in the streets, was 
*' More pilgrims are come to town." And another 
would answer, saying, '' And so many went over the 
water and were let in at the golden gates to-day." 
They would cry again, '' There is now a legion of 
shining ones just come to town : by which we know 
that there are more pilgrims upon the road ; for here 
they come to wait for them, and comfort them after 
their sorrow." Then the pilgrims got up, and walked 
to and fro : but how were their eyes now filled with 
celestial visions ! In this land, they heard nothings 
saw nothing, felt nothing, smelt nothing, tasted nothing, 
that was offensive to their stomach or mind; only, 
when they tasted of the w^ater of the river, over which 
they \vere to go, they thought that tasted a little bitter- 
ish to the palate, but it proved sweet when it was down.- 



(«) P^t I. p, 195. 



424 CHRIStlArvA SUMMONED TO PASS THE RlYElt. 

In this place there was a record kept of the names 
of them that had been pilgrims of old, and a histo-* 
ry of all the famous acts that they had done. It was 
Here also much discoursed, how the river to some has 
its fiowings, and what ebbings it has had while others 
have gone over. It has been in a manner dry for 
some, while it has overflowed its banks for others. 

In this place, the children of the town would go into 
the King's gardens, and gather nosegays for the pil- 
grims, and bring them to them with affection. Here 
also grew camphire, and spikenard, saffron, calamus, 
and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh, 
and aloes, with all chief spices. With these the pil- 
grims' chambers were perfumed while they staid here ; 
and with these were their bodies anointed, to prepare 
them to go over the river, when the time appointed 
was come. 

Now while they lay here, and waited for the good 
hour, there was a noise in the town, that there was a 
post come Trom the celestial city, with matters of great 
importance to one Christiana, the wife of Christian, 
the pilgrim. So inquiry was made for her, and the, 
house was found out where she was ; so the post pre- 
sented her with a letter : the contents were : " Hail,, 
«:ood woman ! I brine: thee tidings, that the Master 
calleth for thee, and expecteth that thou shouldest 
stand in his presence in clothes of immortality, within 
these ten davs." 

When he had read this letter to her, he gave her 
therewith a sure token that he Avas a true messenger, 
and was come to bid her make haste to be gone. The 
token was — An arro^v sharpened with love, let easih' 
into her heart, which, by degrees wrought so effectual- 
ly with her, that at the time appointed she must be 
s^one. 

When Christiana saw that her time was come, and 
that she was the first of this company that was to go 
over, she called for Mr. Great- heart, her guide, and 
told hirri ho^v matters v.erc. So he told her, he was 



SHE EXHORTS HER CHILDREN AND COMPANIONS. 42S 

heartily glad of the news, and could have been glad 
had the post come for him. Then she bid that he 
should give advice how all things should be prepared 
for her journey. So he told her, saying, thus and thus 
it must be ; and we that survive, will accompany you 
to the river- side. 

Then she called for her children, and gave them her 
blessing ; and told them that she had read with com- 
fort the mark that was set in their foreheads, and was 
glad to see them with her there, and that they had kept 
their garments so white. Lastly, she bequeathed to 
the poor that little she had, and commanded her sons 
and daughters to be ready against the messenger should 
come for them. 

When she had spoken these words to her guide and 
to her children, she called for Mr. Valiant- for- truth ^ 
and said unto him, " Sir, you have in all places show- 
ed yourself true-hearted ; be faithful unto death, and 
my King will give you a cro . . n of life. I would also 
entreat you to have an eye to my children ; and if at 
any time you see them faint, speak comfortably to 
them. For my daughters, my son's wives, they have 
been faithful, and a fulfilling of the promise uporl them 
will be their end." — ^But she gave Mr, St^mdfast a ring» 

Then she called for old Mr. Honest, and said of 
him, " Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no 
guile." Then said he, "I wish you a fair day, when 
you set out for mount Zion, and shall be glad to see 
that you go over the river dry-shod." But she answer- 
ed, " Come wet, come dry, I long to be gone, for, 
however the weather is in my journey, I shall have 
time enough, when I come there, to sit down and rest 
me, and dry me." 

Then came in that good man, Mr. Ready-to-halt, to 
see her. So she said to him, " Thy travel hitherto 
has been with difficulty ; but that will make thy rest 
the sweeter. But watch and be readv; for at an hour 
^rhen you think not, the messenger may come*" 

54 



426 SHE PASSES THS RIVER TRIUMPHANTLYi 

After hini came in Mr. Despondency, and his daugh- 
ter, Much-afraid ; to whom she said, you ought with 
thankfulness for ever to remember your deliverance 
from the hand of Giant despair, and out of Doubting 
Castle. The effect of that mercy is, that you are 
brought with safety hither. Be yet watchful, and cast 
away fear ; be sober, and hope to the end." 

Then she said to Mr. Feeble-mind, " Thou wast 
delivered from the mouth of giant Slay- good, that thou 
mightest live in the light of the living for ever, and see 
the King with comfort : only I advise thee to repent 
thee of thy aptness to fear, and doubt of his goodness, 
before he sends for thee ; lest thou shouldst, when he 
comes, be forced to stand before him for that fault 
with blushing." 

Now the day drew on that Christiana must be gone. 
So the road was full of people, to see her take her 
iournev. But behold all the banks bevond the river 
were full of horses and chariots, which were come 
down from above to accompany her to the city gate. 
So she came forth, and entered the river with a beck- 
on of farewell to those that followed her to the river- 
side. The last words that she was heard to say, were^ 
*' I come, Lord, to be with thee, and bless thee." 

So her children and friends returned to their place, 
for that those that waited for Christiana had carried 
her out of their sight. So she went and called, and 
entered in at the gate, with all the ceremonies of joy 
that her husband Christian had entered with before 
her. 

At her departure the children w^pt. But Mr. Great- 
heart and Mr. Valiant played upon the well-tuned cym- 
bal and harp for joy. So all departed to their respec- 
tive places.* 



* O how blessed is the death of the righteous, who die in the Lord ! Even 
a wirked Balaam could wish for this. But it will be granted to none bu*:- 



JiEADY-TO-HALT SUMMONED TO PASS THE RIVER. 427 

In process of time, there came a post to the town 
again, and his business was with Mr. Ready -to -halt. 
So he inquired him out, and said, " I am come to thee 
in the name of Him whom thou hast loved and follow- 
ed, though upon crutches : and my message is, to tell 
tliee, that he expects thee at his table, to sup with him 
in his kingdom, the next day after Easter : wherefore 
prepare tli^"self for thy journey." — Then he also gave 
him a token that he was a true messenger, saying, " I 
have broken the golden bowl, and loosed the silver 
cord.(G) 

After this, Mr. Ready-to-halt called for his fellow- 
pilgrims, and told them, saying, " I am sent for, and 
God shall .surely visit you also." So he desired Mr. 
VaUant to make his will ; and because he had nothing 
to bequeath to them that should survive him, but his 
crutches and his good wishes, therefore thus he said : 
^' These crutches I bequeath to my son that shall tread 
in my steps, with an hundred warm wishes that he 
m.ay prove better than I have been." 

Then he thanked Mr. Great- heart for his conduct 
and kindness, and so addressed himself^ to his jour- 
ney. — When he came to the brink of the river, he 
said, " Now I shall have no more need of these 
crutches, since yonder are chariots and horses for me 
to ride on. The last words he was heard to say, were 
" Welcome life !"^ So he went his way. 

After this, Mr. Feeble-mind had tidincs brousrht 
him, that the post sounded his horn at his chamber 
door. Then he came in, and told him, saying, ''I 



those who have lived in the Lord, whose souls have been quickened by his 
Spirit, to come unto Jesus, believe in him, and glory of him as their righ^ 
teousness and salvation, and desire to be found in him, in life, in death, 
and at the bar of judgment. O may we cry to the Lord, to make us of the 
happy number ! 

* See the joyful end of one ready to halt at every step. Take courage 
hence, ye lame, halting pilgrims. 

(<j) Eccles. xii. 1 — 7. 



428 FEEBLE-MIND, DESPONDENCV, HIS DAUGHTER, 

am come to tell thee, that thy Master hath need of thee, 
and that in a very little time thou must behold his face 
in brightness. And take this as a token of the truth 
of my message : " Those that look out at the windows, 
shall be darkened." 

Then Mr. Feeble-mind called for his friends, and 
told them what errand had been brouglit unto him, 
and what token he had received of the truth of the 
message. Then he said, " Since I have nothing to 
bequeath to any, to what purpose should I make a 
will ? As for my feeble mind, that I will leave behind, 
for that I have no need of it in the place whither I go ; 
nor is it worth bestowing upon the poorest pilgrim : 
wherefore, when I am gone, I desire that you, Mr. 
Valiant, would bury it in a dunghill." This done, 
and the day being come in which he was to depart, he 
entered the river as the rest : his last words were, 
'* Hold out, faith and patience." So he went over to 
the other side. 

When days had many of them passed away, Mr^ 

Despondency was sent for ; for a post was come, and 

brought this message to him : '' Trembling man, these 

are to summon thee to be ready with the King by the 

next Lord's day, to shout for joy, for thy deliverance 

from all thy doubtings." — And, said the messenger, 

that my message is true, take this for a proof : so he 

gave *' a grasshopper to be a burden unto him." — = 

Now Mr. Despondency's daughter, whose name was 

Much-afraid, said, v»rhen she had heard what was done, 

^' that she should go with her flither." Then Mr, 

Despondency said to his friends, '' Myself and -my 

daughter, you know what we have been, and how 

troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every 

company ;— my will, and my daughter's, is, that our 

desponds and slavish fears be by no man ever received, 

from the day of our departure, for ever : for I know 

that after my death, they will offer themselves to 

Others? For^ to be plain with vou, they are guests 



AND honest's departure. 429 

which we entertained when we first began to be pil- 
grims, and could never shake them off after : and they 
will walk about and seek entertainment of the pilgrims ; 
but, for our sakes, shut the doors upon them."^" 

When the time was come for them to depart, they 
went up to the brink of the river. The last words of 
Mr. Despondency were, '' Farewell, night! Welcome, 
day ! — His daughter went through the river singing, 
but none could understand what she said. 

Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a 
post in the town that inquired for Mr. Honest. So 
he came to his house, where he was, and delivered to 
his hands these lines : " Thou art commanded to be 
ready against this day se'nnight, to present thyself be- 
fore thy Lord, at his Father's house." And, for a 
token that my message is true, *' All the daughters of 
music shall be brought low." — Then Mr. Honest 
called for his friends, and said unto them, *' I die, but 
shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall go 
with me ; let him that comes after be told of this." 

When the day that he was to be gone was come, he 
addressed himself to go over the river. Now the river 
at that time overflowed the banks in some places ; but 
Mr. Honest, in his life-time, had spoken to one Good- 
conscience to meet him there ; the which he also did, 
and lent him his hand, and so helped him over. The 
last words of Mr. Honest were, " Grace reigns !" So 
he left the world. f 

After this, it was noised about that Mr. Valiant-for- 
truth was taken with a summons by the same post as 



* Pili^Tims, mind this. It is as much your duty to strive in the strength 
of the Lord, against unreasonable doubts and slavish fears as against sin. 
Nay, are they not, in their own nature, the worst of sins, as they spring 
from infidelity, and dishonour God's precious truth, glorious grace, and 
everlasting salvation. Never, never then, cherish or give way to them, but, 
resist and shut the door of your hearts against them. 

t O how happy to die, under a sweet sense of the reign of grace ! Such 
have their consciences purified by the blood, and made good by the faith of 
the resurrection gf Jesus. And they shall reign with Ixim in his kingdom. 



430 valia:;t-for-truth passes the rivek. 

tht other ; and had this for a token, that the summons 
u-as true, that " his pitcher was broken at the foun- 
tain." When he understood it, he called for his 
friends, and told them of it. Then said he " I am 
going to my Father's; and though with great difficulty 
I got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trou- 
ble I have been at to arrive ^vhere I am. My sword I 
give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, 
and my courage and skill to liim that can get it. My 
marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for 
me, that I have fought his battles, Vvho now v.iil be mv 
rewardcr.-' — 

When the day that he must go hence was come, 
many accompanied him to the river-side, into ^vhich 
as he went, he said, '' Death, where is thy stino;?" 
and as he went down deeper, he said, " Grave, where 
is thy victory '?" So he passed over, and all the trum- 
pets sounded for him on the other side.- 

Then there came forth a summons for Mr. Stand- 
fast. This Mr. Standfast was he that the pilgrims 
found upon his knees in the Enchanted Ground, and 
the post brought it him open in his hands : the con- 
tents whereof were, that he must prepare for a change 
of life, for his Master was not willing that he should 
be so far from him any longer. At tliis Mr. Stand- 
fast was put into a muse. " Xay," said the messen- 
ger, " you need not doubt of the truth of my message 
for here is a token of the truth thereof, — '* Thy wheel 
is broken at the cistern.*' Then he called to him Mr. 
Great-heart, who was their guide, and said unto him, 
" Sir, although it was not my hap to be much in your 
good company in the days of my pilgrimage, yet, since 
the time I knew you, you have been profitable to me. 



* In the truth of Jesus Is vlciorr. He who is most valiant for it, shall 
share most of its comforts in life, ap.d iu death. O Lord, increase ourtaith 
in the never-foiling- word of truth and grtice, for thy g^iory, and our S3ul*s tri- 
-.05 •>h. 



standfast's speech in the river. 431 

When I came from home, I left behind me a wife and 
five small children ; let me entreat you, at your return 
(for I know that you go and return to your Master's 
house, in hopes that you may be a conductor to more of 
his holy pilgrims,) that you send to my family, and let 
them be acquainted with all that hath and shall happen 
unto me. Tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival 
at this place, and of the present and late blessed condi- 
tion that I am in. Tell them also of Christian and 
Christiana his wife, and how she and her children came 
after her husband. Tell them also of what a happy end 
she made, and whither she is gone. — I have little orno- 
thing to send to my family, except it be my prayers and 
tears for them : of which it will suffice if you acquaint 
them, if peradventure they may prevail." 

When Mr. Standfast had thus set things in order, and 
the time being come for him to haste him away, he also 
went down to the river. Now there w^as a great calm 
at that time in the river : wherefore Mr. Standfast, 
when he was about half way in, stood awhile and talk- 
ed to his companions that had waited upon him thi- 
ther : and he said, ** This river has been a terror to 
many : yea, the thoughts of it also have often frightened 
me : now, methinks, I stand easy ; my foot is fixed 
upon that on which the feet of the priests that bare the 
ark of the covenant stood, while Israel went over this 
Jordan. (a) The waters, indeed, are to the palate bitter, 
and to the stomach cold ; yet the thoughts of what I 
am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on 
the other side, doth lie as a glow^ing coal at my heart, 
I see myself now at the end of my journey ; my toilsome 
days are ended. I am going to see that head that was 
crowned wdth thorns, and that face that was spit upon 
for me.* I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith ; 



* O ! the blessedness, and joy of faith ? How does it bring- near, and 
;a'lize a view of Christ in glory : Do we indeed see Christ by the ey^. of 

(a) Josh, iii. IT. 



432 THE PILGRIMS ENTER THE CITV TRIUMPHANTLY* 

but now I go where I shall live by sight, and shall be 
with him in whose company I delight myself. I have 
loved to hear my Lord spoken of ; and wherever I have 
seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have co- 
veted to set my foot too.* His name has been to me 
as a civet-box ; yea, sweeter than all perfumes* His 
voice to me has been most sweet ; and his countenance 
I have more desired than they that have most desired the 
light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my 
food, and for antidotes against my faintings. He has 
held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities ; yea, 
my steps have been strengthened in his way." 

Now, while he was thus in discourse, his countenance 
changed; his ''strong man bowed under him :" and, 
after he had said, *' Take me, for I come unto thee," 
he ceased to be seen of them. 

But glorious it was to see, how the open region was 
filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pi- 
pers, with singers and players on stringed instruments, 
to welcome the pilgrims as they went up, and followed 
one another in at the beautiful gate of the city. 

As for Christiana's children, the four boys that 
Christiana brought, with their wives and children, I did 
not stay where I was till they were gone over. Also 
since I came away, I heard one say, they were yet 
alive, and so would be for the increase of the church in 
that place where they were, for a time. 



faith ? Is he the one, chief object of our souls ? Is he precious to us ? Verily, 
then we shall count our days on earth toilsome ones, and long for the full 
fruition of him in glory. It will be our great glory to see him, whose 
blessed head was crowned with thorns, and whose lovely f-ice was spii up- 
on, for us ; till then, let us live by faith in him, constantly crying, " Come, 
Lord Jesus, come quickly." 

* Can you say this ? Do you love to hear of the precious name of Jesus ? 
Do you covet to follow him, and to tread in his steps ? O what has grace 
wrought! Be humble before Jesus. Be joyful in him, and thankful to 
him. 






CONCLUSION. 433 

Shall it be my lot to go that way again, I may give 
those that desire it, an account of what I here am si- 
lent about ; mean time, I bid my reader 

Farewell.* 



* Who can read this chapter, (observes the Rev. Mr. Rurder) without ex- 
claiming in words once received from heavenj "Blessed are the dead which 
die in the Lord: yea, saith the Spirit, that tliey may rest from their labours !'* 
In the important article of death, the privileges of believers appear distin- 
guishing indeed. To human nature, unassisted by grace, death, the aw- 
ful punishment of sin, is " The King of Terrors." Bitter indeed, and in- 
supportubly painful, are the thoughts of death, to men who have their " por- 
tion in this life," and who are at ease in their possessions. How horrible, 
to be torn away from all they love, and plunged at once into the unuttera- 
ble miseries of the damned ! How enviable, even to such, is the calm and 
serene frame of a dying saint ! Here the monster seems to have lost his 
stmg, having left it in the bleeding body of Jesus. Death has changed 
its nature and its name. Call it no more death ; it is the sweet sleep of the 
body, deposited in its earthly bed, under the eye of the Redeemer, till the 
morning of the resurrection. 

At the close of this excellent book, (says the excellent Mr. Mason) let 
me address one word, reader, to )^ur soul and mme. What think we of a 
pilgrim's life, and a pilgi'im's death ? His life begins with the knowledge 
of Christ, and ends by dying in him, and eternally enjoying of him. And all 
through life, the pilgrim looks to, and lives upon Christ. Rlessed begin- 
ning ! comfortable living ! joyful dying ! 

Now, have we part and lot in this matter ? Is Christ our life ? the life of 
our souls ? If he is> we shall live by faith upon him, rely on his atonement, 
glory in his righteousness, rejoice in his salvation, have done with all sin, 
and be dead to all self-righteous confidence ; and in heart, lip, and life, 
study to glorify him, by devoting ourselves to him, looking, longing, and 
waiting for his coming to receive us to himself, that where he is, there we 
may be also. 

As many as live by this faith, and walk according to this rule, peace he 
Qn them, from the holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity. Amen. 



BjYJ) of the PILGRIM'S PllOGRF.^S 



55 



DIRECTIOISS 

TO THE BLYDER FOR PLACIJVG THE PLATES- 

-^-♦<— - 

PART I. 

Portrait, to face the Title-page. 
Evangelist and Christian under Mount Sinai, 

to face Page 67 

Christian, Hopeful, and the Shepherds, on 

Mount Clear 198 

The Pilgrims, having passed the River, are 

received by the Ministering Spirits 243 

PART II. 

Christiana prevails with her Children, &c. 
(the Subject taken from Page 268,) to 
face tlie Title-page. 

Muck-Rake to face 291 

The Binder will be careful not to place the Plates, 
till the Work is first beat ; and to fix Silver Paper be^ 
fore each Engraving. 



COMTEMTB, 



PART FIRST. 



CHAP. I. 

Page 
The Author's imfirisomnent and dream — Christiafi^ convinced 
of sin^ Jlies from the ivrath to come^ and is directed by the 
gosjiel to Chiist - - - - - 49 

CHAP. II. 

Christian firoceeds — Obstinacy refuses to accomjiany him-—' 
Pliable goes as far as the Sloughy and returns - - 53 

CHAP. III. 

Christian^ deceived by the advice of Mr. Worldly- Wiseman^ 
turns out of the way^ and is greatly alarmed ; but happily 
meeting with Evangelist^ returns to the right pat h^ and pro- 
ceeds on his journey - - -- --^61 

CHAP. IV. 

Christian arrives at the Wicket-gate, inhere he knocks, and is 
kindly received - - - - - - -71 

CHAP. V. 

Christian delightfully entertained at the Interpreter* s house 76 

CHAP. VI. 

Christian loses his burden at the Cross - - - 88 

CHAP. VII. 

Christian finds Simple, Sloth, and Presumption fast asleep^- 

Is despised by Formalist and Hypocrisy dscends the Hill 

Difficulty — Loses his roll, and finds it again - - 90 

CHAP. VIII. 

Christian safely passes the lions ; and arrives at the house 
called Beautifulywhere he is kindly received, and agreea- 
bly entertained - - - - - - -100 

CHAP. IX. 

Christian enters the Valley of Humiliation, where he is 
,fiercely assaulted by Apolly on, but overcomes hi7n - 113 



CONTENTS. 

CHAP. X. 

Page 
Christian sorely distressed in the Valley of the Shadoiv of 
Death through which^ however^ he passes unhurt - 122 

CHAP. XI. 

ChristiaJi meets with an excellent companion in Faithful^ 
^ivith whom he has much profitable conversation - - 129 

CHAP. XJI, 

The picture of an empty professor actually drawn^ in the 
character of Talkati-je^ son af Mr. Say -well of Prating -row 144 

CHAP. XIII. 

Persecution exhibited^ in the treatment of Christian and Faith- 
ful in Vanity -Fair - - - - - - - 15'3; 

CHAP. XIV. 

Christian meets mith another excellent companion in Hope- 
ful — Dialogues between them^ By-ends^ Money-love^ and 
Demas - - - - - --168 

CHAP. XV. 

Christian and Hopeful mistake their way, and fall into the 
hands of giant Despair - - - - 182 

CHAP. XVI. 

'The Pilgrims entertained by the Shephei'ds on the Delect- 
able Mountains ^ - * ^ - 194 

CHAP. XVII. 

The Pilgrims vicct with Ignorance — the robbery of Little- 
Faith related — Christian and Hopeful caught in the net 199 

CHAP. XVIII. 

The Pilgrims meet with Atheist, and past over the Enchant-' 
ed Ground - - - - - 214 

CHAP. XIX. 

I'hc Pilgrims have another conference with Ignorance - 225 

CHAP. XX. 

The Pilgrims travel the pleasant country of Beulah — safely 
pass the river of Death, and are admitted into the glori- 
ous city of God 238 



/ 



OONTENT^- 



PART THE SECOND 



CHAP. I. 

Page 
Christiana^ with her four Sons, and a neighbour, set out on 
fiilgrimage - . - - - 259 

CHAP. II. 

Christiana, Mercy, and the Children, pass the Slough with 
safety, and are kindly received at the Wicket-gate 276 

CHAP. III. 

The Pilgriyyis are assaulted, but relieved 4re entertained at 

the Interpreter's house - - - 284 

CHAP. IV. 

The Pilgrims, conducted by Great-heart, proceed on their 
journey ----- 302 

CHAP. V. 

The Pilgrims ascend the Hill Difficulty, pass the lions, and 
arrive at the house Beautiful - - - 312 

CHAP. VI. 

Mr. Brisk pays his addresses to Mercy — Matthew t(^k€n ill, 
but recovers, tfc. _ _ - - 329 

CHAP. VII. 

The Pilgrims pursue their journey, and pass through the Val- 
ley of Humiliation, and of the Shadow of Death - 338 

CHAP. VIII. 

The Pilgrims overtake Mr. Honest, who relates his own ex- 
perience, and that of Mr. Fearing - - 352 

CHAP. IX. 

The Character of Mr, Self-will - - * 354 

CHAP. X. 

The Pilgrims arrive at the house of Gains, where they are 
hospitably entertained - - - , 353 



CONTENTS. 

CHAP. XI. 

Page 

The Pilgrims continue at the house of Gains ; from whence 
they sally out^ and destroy giant Slay-good^ a canibal ; 
and rescue Mr. Feeble-mind - - - 375 

CHAP. XII. 

The Pilgrims are joined by Mr. Ready -to-halt ; and firoceed 
to the town of Vanity^ ivhere they are agreeably lodged by 
Mr. Mnason ; and meet with agreeable company-^they 
encounter a formidable mo7ister - - - 383 

CHAP. XIII. 

The Pilgriihs kill giant Despair and his wife ; and totally de- 
molish his castle — They proceed to the Delectable Mountains 394 

CHAP. XIV- 

The company joined by Mr. Valiant and Mr. Standfast'—* 
They pass over the Enchanted Ground — 4 description of 
Madam Bubble . _ . - 406 

CHAP. XV. 

The Pilgrims arrive at the land of Beulah ; where they wait 
for the summons of their King — Christiana and several 
of her companions pass the river^ and are admitted into 
the city of God ----- 420 



Butterxvortli s Concordance. 

JUST PUBLISHED, 

BY JOHN TIEBOUT, 238 WATER-STREET, 

(Price Five Dollars,) 

A NEW 

Concordance anti <©icttonarp 

TO THE 

HOLY SCRIPTURES. 

BEING 

THE MOST COMPJiEHEJSTiSIVE .IjYD COJ\rCISE 
OF AJVY BEFORE PUBLISHED. 

IN WHICH 

ANY WORD OR PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE MAY 
BE EASILY FOUND : 

The Sig-nification is g-iven of all proper Names of Men, Women, Beasts, 
Birds, Fishes, Cities, Towns, Rivers, Mountains, Precious Stones, 
' and other things mentioned in Scripture. 

TOGETHER WITH 

The different Acceptations of Scripture Words. ...a Definition of Gospel 
Doctrines.. ..and several Types and Figures opened. 

The whole calculated to make the christian intelligentt and promote an 
increase of his knoivledge in divine things. 

BY JOHN BUTTERWORTH, 

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 

We consider Butte^nvorth's Concordance and Dictionary to the Holy Scrip- 
tures, as equal to any other in directing to any Word or Passage of Scrip- 
ture, and in giving the different acceptation of Scripture Words ; in illus- 
trating several Types and Figures ; in explaining Proper Names, and in 
noticing the Properties of Beasts, Birds, Plants and Minerals, with what- 
ever else in Nature is mentioned or alluded to in Scripture, as preferable, 
not only to other Concordances, but even to most Expositions. Therefore, 
as it may be had at less than half the expense of Cruden's Concordance, 
We do not hesitate warmly to recommend it to all who would ** compare 
spiritual things with spiritual." 

WILLIAM PARKINSON, 
JOHN WILLIAMS, 
ARCHIBALD MACLAY, 
CORNELIUS P. WYCKOFF, 
DANIEL SHARP. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 157 728 1 






•^^■^ 



I'l- 



m 






y-^ >•,' 






:..€/:■'■ 'y''.. 



>^' 




